A boy has struck an incredible friendship with a band of wild monkeys.

The monkeys visit Samarth, 2, several times a day to spend time playing and eating with him. He likes to pull their tail and chase them in fun, but none of them ever retaliates, except for picking his pocket for more food.

However, if an adult of the village tries to approach them, they usually growl in anger. Fearing the aggressive gray langurs, most men and women of Allapura village in Karnataka, India, keep a safe distance from them.

Samarth, son of Sunil and Nandini Bagara, struck an unlikely friendship with these monkeys.

Nandini recalls that Samarth was sitting outside the house when a monkey snatched a piece of bread from his hand. The little boy ran inside crying and was so scared he refused to even step out for a few days.

Nandini says, “One day he went out on his own and started feeding monkeys. They became friends quickly and the monkeys started visiting him regularly.”

Fearing for his safety, the family sent away Samarth to his father’s village, but were forced to bring him when the monkeys created a havoc after not finding him at home.

When they come visiting, if they don’t find him, they march inside and start looking for him. If there is someone sleeping with a blanket covered all-over his body, they lift it to check if it is their friend.

The villagers, who are wonderstruck, say Samarth has been able to make friends with the band as he carries the blessings of monkey god Hanuman.