Shashi Tharoor, Member of Parliament for Thiruvananthapuram, shared a delightful and heartwarming experience with a monkey that has taken social media by storm. In a series of photos posted on X, Tharoor recounted how the primate wandered into his garden, hopped onto his lap, and even gave him an adorable hug. This charming encounter has left his followers smiling.
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… pic.twitter.com/MdEk2sGFRn
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) December 4, 2024
Tharoor described the encounter as “extraordinary,” sharing how he was sitting in his garden, enjoying his morning newspapers, when the monkey made its way straight to him. He writes, “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 before dozing off.”
The photos, which accompanied his post, show the monkey sitting comfortably on Tharoor’s lap, eating a banana, and even taking a peaceful nap. In the final moment, the monkey gently leapt off and scampered away when Tharoor tried to stand up.
In a follow-up post, Tharoor expressed his thoughts on the experience, highlighting the importance of respecting wildlife. Despite his initial concerns about the potential risks of a monkey bite, which would require rabies shots, he remained calm and embraced the moment. “Reverence for wildlife is ingrained in us,” he said. “I stayed calm and welcomed his presence as non-threatening, and I am gratified that my faith was borne out – our encounter was entirely peaceful and gentle.”
Reactions from Social Media
The heartwarming images and Tharoor’s narration quickly went viral, with social media users expressing their delight over the rare and peaceful encounter. One person commented, “How absolutely wonderful!” while another added, “That’s really very sweet. One usually hears of more problematic encounters with urban monkeys.”
A third user remarked, “That’s an amazing picture. Never seen anything like that,” and a fourth wrote, “When even the wildlife trusts Dr. Shashi Tharoor’s calm demeanor! Magic happens always when Dr. Tharoor is around!”
About Shashi Tharoor
Shashi Tharoor is a well-known politician, author, and former international diplomat. Representing the parliamentary constituency of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, in the Lok Sabha, Tharoor has previously served as Minister of State for External Affairs and Minister of State for Human Resource Development in the Government of India. Born in London in 1956, Tharoor’s educational journey took him across India, with studies in Mumbai, Delhi, and Kolkata, followed by a PhD from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University.
