Nepal: Royal Shield missing from palace

Kathmandu, Jun 22: The Nepalese government panel, formed to collect details of property of the Palace, has not got the royal shield, local media reports said. ''We have listed the royal sword, which was needed during the coronation of kings. But we have no idea where the shield is,'' The Himalayan Times quoted Dr Govinda Kusum, head of the government panel and secretary at the Ministry of General Administration, as saying.

Like the crown and the secptre, the royal shield is also an important item, say historians. The government panel said they had the royal sword listed, but had no idea where the shield was. Historian Dr Sanobhai Dangol, who had worked in the palace in the past, said, ''Former monarchs used to have the shield and sword taken to the parliament with the crown and the sceptre. This practice dates back to the times of late king Tribhuvan.'' ''A person used to carry them. In royal language, the person used to be called Dada,'' he added.

''Unlike the crown, it is not made of precious stones. I think it is made of gold and silver,'' he added.

After the abolition of monarchy on May 28 by overwhelming majority of the Constituent Assembly, the former king Gyanendra left the palace and has been living in Nagarjun palace provided by the government.

UNI