By SUDESHNA SARKAR
Kathmandu, May 12: With just 17 days left for the abolition of his two-century-old ancestral throne, Nepal’s distressed King Gyanendra on Monday sought divine intervention once again, offering animal sacrifices to a Hindu goddess of power.
Security was tightened at the temple of Dakshinkali on the outskirts of Kathmandu with the king and his queen Komal scheduled to offer five live animals and birds at the seat of the goddess believed to destroy the worshipper’s enemies.
This is the embattled monarch’s first public appearance since the critical election in April where for the first time in Nepal’s history, over 17 million people voted the king out and instead gave power to monarchy’s bitterest foe, the former Maoist rebels, who fought a bloody 10-year war to scrap the kingdom’s royal dynasty, once revered as gods. Ironically, the king had offered the same sacrifices at the temple in 2007, making it his first public appearance since the fall of his 14-month regime after a national uprising led by the Maoists. Analysts say only divine intervention or another coup can save the king from impending doom with the latter seeming unlikely as the Army, that had helped King Gyanendra to seize power three years ago, has learnt its lesson. By May 29, the newly elected Constituent Assembly has to hold its first meeting and formally declare an end to Nepal’s 239-year-old Shah dynasty of kings. The Maoists, who emerged as the largest party after the election with 220 seats in the 601-member Assembly, have stepped up parleys with other key parties in a bid to form the next government. Maoist supremo Prachanda on Monday held talks with three powerful student unions affiliated to his own party. (IANS)
