Jump to content
IndiaDivine.org

Kolkata priest prays for the Nepali royal family

Rate this topic


Guest guest

Recommended Posts

Guest guest

May the Nepal King come out of these troubled times, prays

his Kolkata priest

The Indian Express

Kolkata, April 15, 2008

Sohini Dey

 

The news about the overwhelming victory for Maoists in

Nepal has upset at least one soul in Kolkata - 80-year-old

Kamal Mukherjee who has been a priest to Nepal's royal

family for over six decades.

 

Mukherjee is a fully-devoted priest at the Kalighat Temple,

but has travelled to Nepal whenever the royal family [of

Nepal] has needed him to perform pujas. He has also

enjoyed patronage from previous Nepali governments.

 

He is firm in his resolve that he cannot take money from a

party [the Maoists] that has " risen to power through

bloodshed " .

 

" Once [Maoist leader] Prachanda takes oath, I shall do pujas

for free as a mark of respect to the [Nepali] royal family. I

disapprove of this government, " Mukherjee said.

 

The priest said he cherishes his association with the King.

Mukherjee will rather go directly to King Gyanendra if he

needs any assistance. " I don't think the new rulers in

Kathmandu are much for pujas, " he said. The Nepalis by

tradition are worshippers of Kali (the Hindu goddess of

power), Mukherjee added.

 

Mukherjee for long has been entitled to several benefits

from Nepali governments, including a monthly honorarium

and travel expenses on his annual trips to that country.

Mukherjee's occupation as the Royal Priest of Nepal,

included among other things, performing the rites and

religious ceremonies for the family. He also performs a

daily puja to seek blessings for the royal family in the

Kalighat Temple.

 

The Mukherjee family has been priests for the Nepali royal

family for many generations.

Having taken over this job at 22, Mukherjee has performed

puja for King Tribhuvan, King Mahendra and King Birendra

(for whose coronation he had been present in the

Narayanhiti Palace) and the present King Gyanendra.

 

His last meeting with King Gyanendra was when he had

visited the Kalighat Temple soon after his coronation. With

a tinge of sadness, Mukherjee added: " The royalty of Nepal

has been my family for generations. "

 

After the elections, he has not been in touch with the King,

but religiously follows the task he has been entrusted with

- the daily puja. " May the King come out of these troubled

times, " he said.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...