2nd Impression The Telegraph

2nd SECOND IMPRESSION

I have never met His Majesty King Birendra except at some government-sponsored parties. However, those who have been granted audience say that He is simply outstanding. Various personalities belonging to my profession either have met personally the King at the Palace or were used to be invited by the Panchayat regime to attend the Monarch during his trips to different developmental zones. Visiting the length and the breadth of the country was tentatively speaking King Birendra's routine work in the Panchayati days. The King, I was told, took keen interest in the development works in the country and wished to mingle with the suffering population. In the process the Monarch became very popular among his what was called "subjects". The accompanying pressmen used to collect these impressions and when back in Kathmandu wrote stories related to the incidents of which they were themselves the first-hand witness.

Albeit, the journalists accompanying the King were selected either by the Palace itself or by the Department of Information. Needless to say, a small coterie of Nepali journalists had exhibited themselves as the number one Monarchists. The department of information too had the knowledge about the capacity and the strength of this notorious band and hence did not quarrel with those self-styled ruffians. Currently, yet another sets of media men have encircled the government. This set defends and fights for the cause of the government in power at a particular time. They have a slogan; good or bad, my party government. In lieu of this unflinching support perhaps they enjoy some material gains.

Those who have talked with the King say that King Birendra is fully informed about the state of affairs of the nation. King Birendra listens to the visiting journalists and poses rather seek measures from the attending journalists on how to proceed with the developmental efforts so that the needy people benefit from. Others say that King Birendra is a democrat. Some even say that since the King got his education from one of the finest universities in the world so he is well abreast with the contemporary world situation. There are scores who possess negative comments about the King. Be that as it may, I some times feel bewildered which set(s) of the comments were real for the present Nepali monarch. This notwithstanding, I remember the same band that created hell and amassed wealth from the government's coffer during the 1989 Nepal-India Economic blockade and wrote filthy comments about the champions of movement then -read 1990- currently have changed (not all) their face and allegiance as well. I do not wish to dug the past.

Regarding King Birendra's mingling with the people some stories I have heard from my fellow colleagues and others as well. That King Birendra wished the Nepalese officials to be at their respective work places gets reflected through this event. It so happened a couple of decades back that the Monarch was in an official trip to Eastern development zone which brought him to Biratnagar. One fine morning, the Monarch suddenly entered in to a local office of the Tax department. The time should have been 10 O'clock. The King sat on the chief's chair and waited the real occupant of the chair to come to the office. Albeit the chief came but very late. Just consider the scene when the officer is late and is being checked by none less than the Head of the State.

Second event is related with one Rickshaw puller who happened to be an Indian. It so happened that H.M. the King and the Queen wished to ride a Rickshaw in Birganj during one of their trips there. The Rickshaw man proceeded towards Raxaul-nearby Indian bordering town. The Rickshaw wallah could not recognize the Nepali monarch and the queen. The Royal couple went on asking the puller about his family, income and etc. Naturally the Rickshaw puller was a poor man and he had nothing to hide. After travelling a few furlongs, the Royal couple got down and thanked the Rickshaw wallah. Upon learning that the Rickshaw puller was a poverty-stricken lot, His Majesty gave him a good amount as reward. Till this time the puller of the Rickshaw could not recognize the Royal couple. But later somehow he guessed that the couple in his tri-cycle were none less that King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya of friendly Nepal. Later the poor Indian fellow talked to the Indian press that got a good coverage in the local Indian media.

Well, I've heard of only these two events. Others might have some more stories.

It so happened a few weeks back that a very close friend of mine bluntly told one Palace official at a party that those media men who "had been in your fold during 1990, have reportedly been serving an alien lobby" and yet I see "those distinguished figures very much in your list as well". Needless to say, the Palace official got the point and collected the courage to say this much: ( sic) "We have been watching this phenomenon". The journalists' sitting nearby the Palace official too got the point.

In my lifetime I've been invited twice by the Palace to attend cocktail receptions. The last one was very rewarding for me personally. For I could see my old friends and talk to them regarding their health and prosperity. It was a reception thrown by the Palace to mark the B'day celebrations of HM the Queen. However, the Queen did not attend the reception.

On December 8, 1999, I formally requested one Palace official at the SAARC Secretariat that I had a strong desire to see the King and learn from His immense knowledge that He undoubtedly possesses. However, I also told the concerned official that I wished to share my personal views regarding the contemporary events in Nepal and elsewhere as well with the democratic monarch. I'm told that King Birendra reads all the newspapers and possesses immense knowledge of the system now in place in our own country. If the Palace officials so desire then I can send as a mark of respect to the King the whole set of articles (and others as well) on Civil Society penned by Dr.Larry Diamond from Stanford University, USA. Dr. Diamond is an authority on matters related to democracy, its consolidation and preservation as well. Likewise I can supply some comments by Samuel P.Huntington on the third wave of the democratic movement and the possible causes of its reversal as well.

I have been told by the Palace officials to wait till next summer. I'm waiting.

Loyal felicitations to King Birendra on His Happy BirthDay. Vivat rex.