Kathmandu, Jan. 11 : The nation paid glowing tributes to His Majesty Late King Prithvi Narayan Shah the great on the occasion of the 279th Prithvi Jayanti and National Unity Day today.

At a function held today in front of the Singha Durbar main gate to mark the occasion, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya, National Assembly Chairman Dr Mohammad Mohsin, Rajparishad Standing Committee Chairman Dr Keshar Jung Rayamajhi and the Prithvi Jayanti Celebration Committee Chairman and Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Tarini Datta Chataut offered garlands on the statue of the great King Prithvi Narayan Shah.

Also paying floral tributes to His late Majesty at the function were other ministers, MPs, the heads of the constitutional bodies, the office-bearers of the celebration committee, senior officials of His Majesty’s Government, intellectuals, artists and other dignitaries.

Batuks (brahmin boys) chanted auspicious hymns from the vedas, while the Royal Nepalese Army presented salute to the late King, the architect of the modern Nepal.

Addressing the function, Chairman of the Celebration Committee Minister Chataut said, the Divyopadesh (immortal sayings) of His Majesty Late King Prithvi Narayan Shah the great and his exhortation on the national unity are still relevant to this day.

Meanwhile in Pokhara, the 179th birthday of King Prithvi Narayan Shah the great and the National Unity Day was observed amidst a function at Prithvichowk, Pokhara today.

At the start of the function, contingents of both Royal Nepalese Army and Nepal Police presented salute and various distinguished persons offered garlands at the statue of King Prithvi Narayan Shah the great.

Lawmaker Shukra Raj Sharma, Kaski DDC president Punya Prasad Poudel, mayor Duo Krishna Thapa and Shaligram Poudel planted Yam Saplings around the site re-built by Machhapuchhre Bank Ltd.

Recalling the King Prithvi Narayan Shah the great’s contributions, lawmaker Sharma urged that all Nepalese march hand in hand to consolidate the nation in a democratic manner.

Member of Rajparisad Ganesh Bahadur Gurung said all Nepalese could feel glory as a unified nation today thanks to the unrelenting struggle made for it by the late King.

During the function chaired by the 179 Birthday Main Celebration Committee and Kaski DDC president Punya Prasad Poudel, DDC vice chairman Srinath Baral, mayor Duo Krishna Thapa and Shaligram Poudel, CDO Ram Prasad Khatiwada, Ramesh Bahadur Bhattarai of RPP and head master Mahesh Gurung highlighted the immortal sayings of the King Prithvi Narayan Shah the great.

Also present on the occasion were people’s representative, political party workers, students, teachers, Royal Nepalese Army, police, district level government office chiefs, businessmen and tourism entrepreneurs.

Gorkha Liaison Society, Naya Sadak also organised a blood donation programme to mark the National Unity Day.

Altogether 20 youth volunteers donated blood at the programme held under the convenorship of Sri Ram Bahadur Balkoti.

In Janakpurdham, the District Development Committee (DDC), Dhanusha, today organised a talk programme on the life and the contribution of His Late Majesty in the unification of Nepal to mark the 279th birth anniversary of His Late Majesty King Prithivi Narayan Shah the great and National Unity Day.

At the programme, Nepali Congress Dhanusha district president Ramkrishna Yadav highlighted the significance of the immortal sayings of His Late Majesty King Prithivi Narayan Shah the great in the present context.

He also called for collective effort to defeat any sectarian attempts to vitiate the communal harmony in the country.

Chief District Officer Tana Gautam reminded that by pointing his index finger, the Late Majesty King Prithvi Narayan Shah the great exhorted all the Nepalese to keep an eternal vigilance for the safeguard of the Nepalese national unity.

DDC chairman Ram Charitra Saha, from the chair, called on all the Nepalis to be loyal to their country and countrymen.

Udaya Kant Thakur of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), Bhola Saha of the CPN (ML), mayor Bajranga Saha, and chief of the District Agricultural Office, Dhanusha, Madhav Bahadur Pant shed light on the significance of the “Dibyopadesh” (the immortal exhortations of His Late Majesty King Prithivi Nrayan Shah the great).

Similarly, in Biratnagar, on the occasion of the 279th birth anniversary of His Majesty King Prithivi Narayan Shah the great and National Unity Day, Morang district development committee organised a function during which heartfelt tributes were paid to His Late Majesty with offerings of garlands at his portrait.

On the occasion, CDO Binod Gyawali pointed out the need for coordination among people speaking different languages and from various communities and said regional goodwill is essential for maintaining national unity in the country.

Nepal Sadvawana Party Morang chairman Dr Hira Lal Shaha, headmaster of Gayatri Sanskrit Higher Secondary School Brahmakumari Nirmala Bahini and other speakers also shed light on the importance of National Unity Day at the programme chaired by DDC chairman Khadga Bahadur Basnet.

Marking the same occasion, vice-chancellor of the Eastern Regional University Dhruva Narayan Lal Das inaugurated the fourth anniversary function of the Nepali language and culture council here today.

On the occasion, Vice-Chancellor Das described the country as a flower garden and pointed out the need for the government to work as the gardener in order to maintain unity among various communities.

Central chairman of the council litterateur Bhanu Bhakta Pokharel, litterateur Dev Kumari Thapa, ex-minister Radha Prasad Ghimire and other speakers also expressed their views.

In Nepalgunj, on the occasion of the 279th Prithivi Jayanti and National Unity Day, Chief Judge of Nepalgunj Appellate Court Arjun Prasad Singh pointed out the need for all to move ahead in accordance with the divine counsel of His Late Majesty King Prithivi Narayan Shah the great.

Ex-MP Krishna Prasad Gautam, CDO Shyam Prasad Mainali, Ajit Kumar Sharma of Nepali Congress and Krishna Kharel of RPP also shed light on the contribution of His Late Majesty at the function chaired by Banke DDC chairman Om Prakash Jung Rana.

A cultural programme was also organized on the occasion.