Once revered as a demi-god by his people, the beleaguered former monarch who has been avoiding media glare since being stripped of his crown by the country’s Constituent Assembly in May has decide not to meet visitors on the day.

“There will be no official celebration and no formal programme” for Gyanendra’s birthday who shifted to the comparatively modest Nagarjuna holiday retreat on the outskirts of Kathmandu, a former palace staff said.

“Gyanendra will not come out to see visitors on the day,” sources close to the former King said, adding his portrait will be installed at the main gate for those wishing to offer bouquet to him.

It was the custom for royalists and government officials to queue up at the Narayanhity to offer best wishes to the King until he was stripped of his powers in 2006. The palace has now been turned into a national museum.

Gyanendra will have little to celebrate as his son former crown prince Paras and son-in-law Raj Bahadur Singh left for Singapore last week.

Paras, 37, and Singh are apparently all set to settle abroad against Gyanendra’s wish. Since Gyanendra shifted to Nagarjuna hill, the otherwise dark forest area is now illuminated.

However, no special decoration has been made for his birthday.  Unlike in the past, the government has not formed a special committee to celebrate his birthday but royalists said it will not dampen their celebrations.