This is the stunning moment a mahut stops an out-of-control by placing himself before it and pushing it back with his hands.

The elephant ‘Puthupally Kesavan’ turned aggressive during a religious ceremony at Cherai temple in South India on January 23.

With three helpless priests sitting on top, the elephant failed to follow instructions and showed signs of getting aggressive.

Second mahut Aneesh sensed that the elephant was possibly entering its ‘musth’ phase.

Showing incredible courage he placed himself in front of the elephant and pushed it back.

The elephant could have crushed him. But perhaps knowing him very well it yielded.

The elephant was taken off the ceremony and sent back to the camp as it was possibly experiencing ‘musth’ or a surge in hormones that makes it very aggressive for a few days.