Retired Tamil Nadu cop, 76, spends part of her pension feeding hungry monkeys
Malathi, a retired police officer from Tamil Nadu's Madurai, has devoted a significant part of her pension to feeding monkeys in the area - a mission she has continued for close to a decade.
Every Saturday afternoon in Tamil Nadu’s Tirupparankundram, hundreds of monkeys gather across temple grounds and nearby hills, responding to the call of a 76-year-old woman who has spent years ensuring they do not go hungry.
That woman is Malathi, a retired police officer from Madurai, who has devoted a significant part of her pension to feeding monkeys in the area - a mission she has continued for close to a decade, news agency ANI reports.
For Malathi, retirement did not mark the end of service, only a shift in who she serves. Before retiring in 2010, she built a long career across multiple roles, including serving as the Director of Physical Education at Gandhigram University, working at an international school in Kodaikanal, and spending 33 years with the Tamil Nadu Police Department.
Since 2015, however, her focus has been on the monkeys living in and around Tirupparankundram, many of which struggle to find food in the region’s forested and hilly terrain.
Speaking to ANI, Malathi said she began feeding the animals after noticing the growing monkey population around the Tirupparankundram Murugan Temple and nearby areas.
“These monkeys live in forested and hilly regions and struggle daily to find food. Around 2015, I noticed the large monkey population in and around Tirupparankundram Murugan Temple and decided to help them. Since then, I have been feeding them regularly. For many years, I visited the area every day. However, I am now 76, and due to health issues, walking long distances has become difficult. Even so, I continue my service every Saturday,” Malathi told ANI.
Although age and health concerns have made daily visits difficult, Malathi continues her weekly routine, travelling to six locations around Tirupparankundram, including the temple premises, Saravana Poigai, Palchunaikanda Subramaniam Temple, Mayil Thoppu (Peacock Grove) and the Fort area.
Her arrival rarely goes unnoticed.
Malathi said that around 350 to 400 monkeys gather across these locations every week, many responding almost instantly when she calls out to them.
“There are approximately 350 to 400 monkeys across these locations. Every Saturday at around 3:30 pm, when I call them, they gather for food. At some places, nearly 50 monkeys come at once. Around the Cave Temple, there are about 150 monkeys, while Peacock Grove is home to nearly 200 monkeys,” she said.
She added that monkeys of all ages, from infants to fully grown adults, arrive for the food she brings.
For Malathi, the weekly ritual has become far more than an act of care. She told ANI that serving the animals gives her a sense of joy, purpose and emotional fulfilment.
“Serving these animals gives me immense happiness and deep mental satisfaction. Their trust and affection bring great meaning to my life. As long as I am physically able, I will continue this mission. It is my sincere wish to carry on this service until the very end of my life,” she said.
Every Saturday afternoon in Tamil Nadu’s Tirupparankundram, hundreds of monkeys gather across temple grounds and nearby hills, responding to the call of a 76-year-old woman who has spent years ensuring they do not go hungry.
That woman is Malathi, a retired police officer from Madurai, who has devoted a significant part of her pension to feeding monkeys in the area - a mission she has continued for close to a decade, news agency ANI reports.
For Malathi, retirement did not mark the end of service, only a shift in who she serves. Before retiring in 2010, she built a long career across multiple roles, including serving as the Director of Physical Education at Gandhigram University, working at an international school in Kodaikanal, and spending 33 years with the Tamil Nadu Police Department.
Since 2015, however, her focus has been on the monkeys living in and around Tirupparankundram, many of which struggle to find food in the region’s forested and hilly terrain.
Speaking to ANI, Malathi said she began feeding the animals after noticing the growing monkey population around the Tirupparankundram Murugan Temple and nearby areas.
“These monkeys live in forested and hilly regions and struggle daily to find food. Around 2015, I noticed the large monkey population in and around Tirupparankundram Murugan Temple and decided to help them. Since then, I have been feeding them regularly. For many years, I visited the area every day. However, I am now 76, and due to health issues, walking long distances has become difficult. Even so, I continue my service every Saturday,” Malathi told ANI.
Although age and health concerns have made daily visits difficult, Malathi continues her weekly routine, travelling to six locations around Tirupparankundram, including the temple premises, Saravana Poigai, Palchunaikanda Subramaniam Temple, Mayil Thoppu (Peacock Grove) and the Fort area.
Her arrival rarely goes unnoticed.
Malathi said that around 350 to 400 monkeys gather across these locations every week, many responding almost instantly when she calls out to them.
“There are approximately 350 to 400 monkeys across these locations. Every Saturday at around 3:30 pm, when I call them, they gather for food. At some places, nearly 50 monkeys come at once. Around the Cave Temple, there are about 150 monkeys, while Peacock Grove is home to nearly 200 monkeys,” she said.
She added that monkeys of all ages, from infants to fully grown adults, arrive for the food she brings.
For Malathi, the weekly ritual has become far more than an act of care. She told ANI that serving the animals gives her a sense of joy, purpose and emotional fulfilment.
“Serving these animals gives me immense happiness and deep mental satisfaction. Their trust and affection bring great meaning to my life. As long as I am physically able, I will continue this mission. It is my sincere wish to carry on this service until the very end of my life,” she said.
