and bent with easy grace to the inspiration of the
moment. It was a nerer-to be-forgotten scene as His
Majesty lifted the Crown that was the symbol of his
sovereign power and placed it on his head.
'-Yesterday was the supreme day. But the
ceremony goes as far back as February j, when a
chapter of priests held a service of benediction in pre-
paration for the inscription of His Majesty's full
official style and title on the following day. Adhering
to custom, water from various shrines in the 17 circles
was consecrated and conveyed in urns to the Capital.
Following a preliminary evening service on the 2ist
instant, held in the Baisal Hall by 30 priests, at <vhich
the Royal Family and Officials of State attended upon
His Majesty, three evening benediction services were
held on three days, in ail three sections of the Chief
Residence. And then yesterday morning the Arch-
bishop of the North extinguished the Candle of
Victory in the hall of Amarindra. That marked the
end of the Buddhist part of the Coronation.
"Meanwhile, Brahmin priests tended the sacrificial
fires in honour of the Hindu Trinity in a pavilion apart
and generally made sacrificial preparations for the
rites to follow.
''That led up to the Coronation proper.
"These elaborate rites are deemed necessary before
the King can assume the Crown with all the symbolism
of responsibility and power that it holds* Only in the
East we may think is there elaborate ritual in con-