Only in India!

Over the past two weeks I have slowly been introduced to the wildlife of DSK. Unfortunately, I do not have pictures of all the animals to show you, but I was able to get some good photos of the family of monkeys that live here. The first time I saw them I was coming out for breakfast and they were just chilling on the top of the cafeteria, and I thought to myself "only in India!"...haha

Do you see the baby monkey attached to the mother's belly above? It is the newest member of the monkey family just born a little over a week ago. 

Besides monkeys there are also a number of cute but dirty stray dogs (whom I would love to adopt if I had the chance), peacocks, various other kinds of birds, mice, squirrel looking things, scorpions, lizards,  and snakes. I have yet to see a snake and I am praying that I never do, as they are pretty much the only thing I am afraid of...I know it is a stupid fear but what can you do. At least these snakes are not poisonous or so I am told. 

The most entertaining encounter with one of DSK's many animal inhabitants, happened two days ago. I was sitting in my office working at my computer with my headphones in, when all of a sudden Naresh (Manjula's secretary) came running in and told me I had to get out of the office right now. There was a giant lizard who had somehow gotten In when I wasn't paying attention. Turns out it was a Monitor Lizard and it was almost two feet big. It was literally right behind my desk when Naresh came to get me. All of a sudden my office was filled with the ground's manager, all of the accountants, and Naresh standing up on chairs with big sticks trying to scare the lizard out of hiding. By this point it had taken refuge under my desk. 

I just waited and watched as they kept moving my desk and poking the mysterious animal until finally it ran out from under my desk and into another corner of the office. At that point I went back into the office and collected my things and left them to it. It took over an hour for them to get the lizard out of the office. Sushma screamed as the farm hands waving long sticks scared it out of the office and into the auditorium. I heard a loud smack every time they hit the ground around the lizard trying to force its chosen direction towards the door. On more then one occasion the lizard played dead and they had to push it with the sticks they were using to get it going again. 

After that day Sushma and I made sure to push our desks closer to the wall, and fill in any places another giant lizard might try to hide in...haha 

Only in India must I learn to watch out for giant lizards in my office.