Bhubaneswar: Nepal's last monarch Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev on Wednesday arrived here on a six-day state visit. He began his trip with the inauguration of an NGO's 'Wow Cow Mission' at Rathipur near Jatani about 25km from here.
The inauguration, however, landed Nepal's last king in a controversy with several royal families of Odisha deciding to skip the dinner thrown in the honour of Gyanendra by the NGO working on cow protection.
The dinner "Rajbhoga" was organised at a posh hotel in Bhubaneswar. All the royal families were invited to the dinner, including Puri king Gajapati Dibya Singh Deb.
Former Patnagarh king and BJP legislature party leader K.V. Singh Deo said: "We don't know which organisation is hosting the dinner. There should be some decency in inviting family members of the royalty. You will throw invitation cards at our doors and can't expect us to attend the dinner. The royal family members of Odisha are not beggars."
Deo said: " Perhaps, the king of Nepal is not aware of this. I have decided not to go to the dinner."
BJD spokeskerpson and royal family member from Aul, Pratap Deb said: "Because of some prior engagements, I will not be able to go to attend the dinner."
The organisers had expected members of 20 to 30 royal families to attend the gala dinner.
Gyanendra, however, has several programmes lined up over the next few days. As he enjoys exclusive rights and special privileges of performing arati of Lord Jagannath atop the Ratna Singhasan (golden throne) of the Jagannath temple in Puri.
Gyanendra also enjoys a special right to touch the idols of the Holy Trinity. He will perform puja at the temple on February 11.
In view of his visit, the temple authorities have made elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of all the rituals. On that day, the temple gate will open at 3am and the bhoga mandap rituals will be completed by 9.30am. Later, the entire temple will be purified and it will remain closed to devotees from 9.30am to 12noon.
Prior to his visit to the temple, Gyanendra, who is a state guest, will attend a programme commemorating the silver jubilee of "Pattabhisheka" of Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati on February 9 and February 10.
On Thursday, he will also visit the famous Gopinath temple at Sakhi, a famous Sri Krishna temple. He is also scheduled to visit the Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar.
Gyanendra has a special bonding with Odisha. He is connected to the royal family of Mayurbhanj and senior BJD leader Praveen Bhanja Deo, whose is his maternal uncle.
