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Ceremony Held in Nepal to Mark Final Day of Mourning
An elaborate ceremony has been held in Nepal to mark the 11th and final day of mourning for King Birendra, and eight other members of the royal family who died in an apparent palace massacre.
The rare ceremony is meant to purge the soul of the late King Birendra, who was shot dead by his eldest son Dipendra, according to witnesses.
A similar ceremony will be held on Wednesday for the then Crown Prince who was briefly proclaimed King before he also died of gunshot wounds he apparently inflicted on himself.
The ritual took place on the banks of Kathmandu's sacred Bagmati River, in which a priest, dressed up as the late King Birendra was banished from the city forever. The priest who volunteered for role was carried away on an elephant, symbolising the passage of the dead king's spirit.
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