"In view of the contribution made by Prithvinarayan Shah I am willing to hand over my body for this country and the people," said former Prime Minister Kirtinidhi Bista.

The eyes of the general supporters of Prithvinarayan Shah, who were present on the occasion of the commemoration of the birth anniversary of the founder of modern Nepal, wetted when Bista made his statement before the statue of Shah in front of the western gate of Singh Durbar.

The National Unity Day Main Ceremony Committee on Sunday commemorated the 293rd Prithvi Jayanti (Prithvi birth anniversary). The programme was attended by many politicians, social workers and the general public creating an upbeat scenario but tinged with much emotional outburst RSS reports.

Former PM Bista said he felt a suffusion of pride and dignity standing before the statue of Prithvinarayan Shah. "A person of the likes of him was successful in creating a modern Nepal before the world. We are ready to die for Nepal but it is shameful that the people and the state are forgetting the very person who had created the modern Nepal," Bista pointed out.

The musical band of the Armed Police Force which played the ´Mangal Dhun´ and accompanied by ´Panchebaja´ (five sorts of traditional musical instruments) with ´Sankha (conch)´ blowing enlivened the crowd.

Ram Bahadur Karki, a resident at Balkhu of the capital city, said Nepal and Nepali would not have been in the current state had there not been Prithvinarayan Shah. He accused the current leadership and leaders of trying to forget the history.

Committee Chairman and culture expert Modnath Prashrit expressed concern over the dubious activities directed towards disintegrating Nepal and inciting instability.

"How can we respect the country if we cannot be proud of Prithvinarayan Shah?" questioned Prashrit, adding, "Why shouldn´t we respect a person who had unified the 22 and 24 states of ancient Nepal?"

"Prithvinarayan Shah also needs respect like India´s Mahatma Gandhi and China´s Mao Tse-tung," he said.

On the occasion, Prof Dr Ramesh Dhungel said the contribution of Prithvinarayan Shah in creating modern Nepal should never be forgotten. Dhungel further added that Shah was a symbol of Nepali unity and a real cultural heritage.

The various leaders and dignitaries present on the occasion garlanded the statue of Prithvinarayan Shah.

Likewise, the National Unity Day and Prithvi Jayanti Civil Ceremony Committee organized a program to commemorate the 293rd anniversary of Shah and discussed his contribution in unifying various kingdoms.

The program later metamorphosed into a rally accompanied with cultural musical instruments playing that went around Dillibazaar, Putali Sadak, Exhibition Road, Bhadrakali and convened in an assembly at Singh Durbar. The participants then garlanded the statue of the founder of the country.

Nepal Academy to mark Prithvi Jayanti as festival

Nepal Academy has taken a decision to mark the Prithvi Jayanti as a festival from next year to commemorate the contribution of Prithvinarayan Shah.

At a program jointly organized by Nepal Academy, Social Science Department, TU Central Department of History and Nepal History Association Kathmandu, Academy´s Chancellor Ganga Prasad Upreti called for a public holiday on the day of Prithvi Jayanti.

At the program, Prof Dr Tulasiram Baidhya presented a document ´Prithvinarayan Shah: Campaigner of creation of Nepal´. Baidhya said that it was the contribution made by Prithvinarayan Shah that Nepal had lived as an independent country and added that his political strategy and message still bore relevance in the present scenario reports RSS.