KATHMANDU: Hours after landing in Nepal for a three-day visit, Indian Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Mukund Naravane started the visit by touring religious places on his first day.
General Naravane, went to Kumari Ghar in Kathmandu Durbar Square and worshipped Living Goddess “Kumari” and later toured around Basantapur Durbar Square along with his spouse Veena Naravane.
“Both of them were happy to get a glimpse of living goddess Kumari and seek her blessings. Goddess Kumari appeared on the window of Kumari Ghar and gave them blessings,” Gautam Shakya, who looks after the house and Living Goddess told ANI in a telephonic conversation.
Later while touring around the ancient palace of the Himalayan Nation, General Naravane was briefed about temples and other structures standing tall in and around the UNESCO World Heritage Site which once housed kings before the unification of Nepal. After spending about an hour around the ancient palace of the former kingdom of Kathmandu, General Naravanethen set off for Pashupatinath Temple to witness the evening time “Aarati”.
Accompanied by his spouse, General Naravane offered offerings to Pashupatinath’s evening time “Aarati” and witnessed it being performed from “Mrigasthali” facing Pashupatinath Temple. Indian Army Chief General Naravane arrived in Kathmandu on Wednesday afternoon. Upon his arrival at the airport, he along with a four-member Indian Army delegation was received by CoAS, Lieutenant General Prabhu Ram Sharma at the airport.
Naravane along with other officials flew to Kathmandu from New Delhi on a special Indian Air Force aircraft at the invitation of Nepali counterpart General Purna Chandra Thapa. He would be conferred the rank of honorary General of the Nepali Army by President Bidhya Devi Bhandar at 4 PM on Thursday at investiture ceremony to be held at Sheetal Niwas. Nepal and India has a tradition of conferring highest rank to chief of each other’s militaries since 1950 after then Indian Army Chief General KM Cariappa visited Nepal.
Naravane will hold bilateral talks with his counterpart Thapa on Thursday. He will also interact with senior Nepal Army officials at the Army Headquarters, Bhadrakali. In the evening, he will join a dinner to be hosted by the Nepali Army chief.
On Friday, Naravane will deliver a lecture at Nepal Army Staff and Command College in Shivapuri, where senior Nepal Army officers will be present. Before wrapping up his three-day sojourn, the Indian Army chief will pay a courtesy call on Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli who is also the country’s defense minister at present. (ANI)
