Pomp and show

Kathmandu, June 29: King Gyanendra is gearing up to give himself a birthday party to remember on July 7.

The powerless monarch, whose fate will be decided in November’s Constituent Assembly election, is celebrating his 60th birthday with pomp and splendour normally associated with royalty.

Queen Komal will host the lavish “Shasthi Poortha” celebrations. The palace secretariat is wondering whether to hold the party on the Naryanhitti Palace grounds or at a five-star hotel owned by the royal family.

They originally thought of holding it at Annapurna Hotel. However, the hotel declined to host the party due to prior commitments.

Palace sources told The Telegraph here that Komal has sent invitations for the party to be held between 3 pm and 6 pm to nearly 1500 guests, including Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Maoist chief Prachanda.

“The King, in fact, called up Koirala to personally invite him and the Prime Minister has promised to attend the celebrations,” the sources said.

However, the Maoists have decided not to attend. Senior Maoist leader and information minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara said here today that he had already expressed his inability to make it to the event.

“There is no question of anybody from our party attending the celebrations.” Mahara said. The Maoists are against the institution of monarchy.

Sources said the royal family would begin the celebrations with a special puja in the morning. “The venue for the puja is being decided with the help of royal astrologers,” the sources said. The decision to go ahead with the celebrations was taken on the advice of the astrologers.