Late King Birendra shares his breakfast with poor kids!

His Majesty King Birendra is no more. However, the late King continues to be in the memory of the general Nepali populace. Several incidents have come out in Nepali media of late which all suggest that he was a perfectly gentle and benevolent monarch whose sole wish had been to watch the speedy development of this nation. But alas! King's wishes apart, those who were to implement the King's desire appeared reluctant and hence the present state of the nation.

That the King wished to mingle with the general people and even with small kids gets reflected from these two separate incidents.

Some fifteen years back, the King and the Queen rode a Rickshaw and took a quick look around the Birganj town. The Rickshaw wallah was an Indian. He could not recognize the personalities in his Rickshaw. The King and the Queen asked several questions with the Rickshaw man even about his family conditions.

After some forty minutes talking to the Rickshaw man, the Rickshaw wallah saw the sudden movements of the Nepal's Royal security systems running around the town perhaps searching the "missing King and the Queen of Nepal".

The Rickshaw man very politely told the men in his Rickshaw to get down as he would be beaten by the Nepali police in having used the Rickshaw at time of the King's arrival in the town. The gentlemen in the Rickshaw complied with and got down. Some passers by instantly recognised the King and the Queen getting down of the Rickshaw and chanted Long Live the King and Queen.

Before the Rickshaw wallah could understand the sudden development in and around his Rickshaw, the security system encircled the Nepali Royalty and drove to the destination. However, the Queen managed to reward the Rickshaw man with two thousand rupees.

We are told the Rickshaw man still cherishes the memory. Several Indian newspapers printed this story then.

Once the King suddenly decided to visit a place where some developmental efforts were being carried out by the government. He then one fine morning invited the Home Secretary to be present at the Helipad to proceed to that area.

After a flight of twenty minutes in the Helicopter the King landed at a very small Helipad in the mountains nearby the said area. Looking at the helicopter, some small kinds encircled the King. The King asked them whether they recognized him. The kids said Yes! You are our King. The Kind said how you could recognize me? The kids replied, we possess your photographs in our small houses.

Later the King asked whether they knew of the development works being underway in that particular area from the kids. The kids jointly replied: " We are told that the works came in sudden motion as and when the authorities were informed of the King's arrival in this area. Till the King is here, the works continue. The moment the King is back to Kathmandu, not even a single officer turns around the project.

The King smiled! He later told the Home Secretary to take up the matter seriously.

Finally the King thanked the kids for the valuable information and shared his morning breakfast with the poor village children. He then drove back to Pokhara.

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