Bhaktapur, Sept 24: Former King Gyanendra Shah has performed pooja at Taleju Bhawani and Aakash Bhairav Temple in Bhaktapur district on Sunday. The former King reached Bhaktapur at the invitation of the local residents of Bhaktapur. It is for the first time former King Gyanendra went to these temples to offer prayers and worship since the declaration of republican system in the country. Locals assembled at the Durbar Square in droves to receive him. The locals fluttered the national flag of Nepal while a troupe of artistes played cultural traditional musical instruments.
A cultural procession was also organized in honour of the former Head of the State. In presence at the welcome ceremony coordinated by Ananta Prasad Dhaubadel, a local resident of Bhaktapur, were parliamentarians of Rastriya Prajatantra Party, former high-ranking officials of Nepali Army and locals. The former King, who arrived Bhaktapur’s Durbar Square in a four-wheeler, walked up to the 15th century old-Taleju Bhawani Temple dedicated to Goddess Bhawani and walked up to the Aakash Bhairav Temple at Taumadhi to worship.
Thereafter, he held meetings with the locals at a hotel at Sallaghari. Responding to the queries of the journalists, the former King remarked that he was happy to meet the locals of Bhaktapur. Furthermore, the septuagenarian former monarch said that he was elated to see immense love and affection of people of Bhaktapur coming out for him. He further said that he felt love for the people who came to see him and demonstrated love towards him and was happy to see their confidence towards him.
