Monkey hugs Shashi Tharoor, dozes off on his lap in heartwarming encounter; see viral pics

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday shared a post on X (formerly Twitter) to narrate an unexpected encounter with a monkey in his garden during morning hours. Tharoor said, despite initial concerns about the risk of a monkey bite, he stayed calm and welcomed its presence as "non-threatening".

Tharoor’s post also included pictures of his encounter with the monkey.

Calling it an "extraordinary experience", Tharoor said, "While I was sitting in the garden, reading my morning newspapers, a monkey wandered in, headed straight for me and parked himself on my lap."

"He hungrily ate a couple of bananas we offered him, hugged me and proceeded to rest his head on my chest and dozed off," the Thiruvananthapuram MP further narrated.

The Congress veteran said he had initial concerns about the potential risk of a monkey bite, which could have necessitated rabies shots. However, he chose to remain calm. "Reverence for wildlife is ingrained in us," Tharoor said.

After completing its nap, the monkey eventually leapt off and loped away. Tharoor expressed his gratitude for the peaceful and gentle nature of the encounter. "I am gratified that my faith was borne out, and our encounter was entirely peaceful and gentle," he said.