The 60th auspicious birthday of His Majesty King Gyanendra is being celebrated across the nation amid various programs today.
Long Live the King: For the first time since the reinstated House of Representatives stripped the king of his powers in May this year, thousands of people marched to Narayanhiti royal palace to wish His Majesty King Gyanendra a Happy 60th birth day, Friday, July 07 06 nepalnews.com/ANA
Long Live the King: For the first time since the reinstated House of Representatives stripped the king of his powers in May this year, thousands of people marched to Narayanhiti royal palace to wish His Majesty King Gyanendra a Happy 60th birth day, Friday, July 07 06 nepalnews.com/ANA
Born in 2004 B.S, as the second son of late King Mahendra and Queen Indra Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah, His Majesty ascended to the throne on 22 Jestha 2058 B.S (4th June 2001). A graduate from Tribhuvan University, King Gyanendra is famously known as G Shah in Nepali literary world.
The birthday is being celebrated at a time when the parliament drastically cut off the royal power following the reinstatement of the parliament putting an end to the direct rule of the King.
The cabinet has decided to send a greeting letter to the King on his birthday breaking the previous tradition of ministers visiting the Palace to greet His Majesty the King.
In the past years, the government used to form a birthday celebration committee under the chairmanship of Prime Minister and all ministers used to visit the royal Palace to express best wishes to His Majesty the King on his birthday.
Recently, the Nepal government had scrapped the provision of national holiday on the birthday of King Gyanendra that falls on Friday (today). The government also instructed Nepal’s diplomatic missions abroad not to incur unnecessary expenditure while celebrating the King’s birthday.
From this year, only the officials working at the Narayanhiti royal Palace would get holiday on the day.
The decision comes in a row of decisions taken by the Seven Party Alliance (SPA) government to curtail royal powers and privileges. The reinstated House of Representatives in May this year had changed the name of His Majesty’s Government to Nepal government and made royal properties taxable.
There were not much programmes like peace rallies, sports competitions in Kathmandu and elsewhere coinciding with the King’s birthday.