Monkey hugs Shashi Tharoor, dozes off on his lap in heartwarming encounter

New Delhi: Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday shared an "extraordinary experience" at his home when a monkey ran towards him, hugged him and after being treated to a couple of bananas, rested his head on the Congress MP's chest and dozed off.

Tharoor put out pictures from this unusual encounter on X and went on to narrate the incident that left many users of the platform amused.

"Had an extraordinary experience today. 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 Congress leader said on X.

"I gently began to get up, he leapt off and loped away," Tharoor added.

He said reverence for wildlife is ingrained in him and though he was a bit concerned about the risk of a monkey-bite which would have necessitated rabies shots, he stayed calm and welcomed his presence as non-threatening.

"I am gratified that my faith was borne out and our encounter was entirely peaceful and gentle," Tharoor said.

In the photographs shared by Tharoor, the monkey could be seen nestled in his lap, being fed bananas and then dozing off.

Tharoor is seen calmly reading the newspaper as the monkey rests on his lap.

Reacting to the post, one X user said, "Probably you got the blessings of Hanumaan ji. I zoomed all the pictures to find out which newspaper the bestest Member of Parliament was reading." Another person wrote, "What a beautiful encounter with nature! Moments like these remind us of the deep, unspoken connection we share with other beings. That monkey’s trust in you speaks volumes about your aura of kindness. Truly, experiences like these make us pause and appreciate the simplicity and warmth of life beyond words."