A funeral in India drew the attention of a wild monkey which decided to join the gathering in Nargund in southern India. <br /><br />Many friends and relatives had gathered at the open funeral of Naganagowda Patil, 71, who had suffered a fatal heart attack on December 11. <br /><br />An Indian langur monkey sat nearby watching the mourners intently and then started mimicking what many of them did.<br /><br />It climbed on to Patil’s son Mari Gowda’s lap and tried to console him the way it had seen many doing it. <br /><br />The ape then went inside the house and sat with the women, who were grieving the death of the elderly man. <br /><br />The family allowed the monkey to take part in the ceremony and made sure no one disturbed it. <br /><br />But the word spread and many onlookers also stepped inside the house to take a look at the mourning monkey. <br /><br />To control the crowd, Patil’s relatives gently shooed away the monkey after throwing a garland around its neck, then the monkey left as quietly as it had come. <br /><br />Many at the funeral said the attendance of the monkey was a sign that Patil was a spiritual man and would attain salvation.<br /><br />Hindus believe monkeys are sacred animals and worship them.
