King of Nepal Visits Harvard, Dines With Bok, Gives Shrines

The King of Nepal, Birenda Bir Bikram Shah Dev, climaxed his day-long visit to Harvard last night by attending an exhibition on Nepalese urban restoration at the Carpenter Center for Visual Arts.

The exhibition, including a slide show narrated by Hooker Professor of Visual Arts Edward F. Sekler, focused on attempts by the United Nations and Birenda's government to preserve an ancient and historic square in the city of Patan, Nepal. The square is endangered by traffic and construction.

Layout plans depicting modern Patan and possible alterations joined carved Nepalese figurines and Far Eastern bowls and vases in Carpenter Center display cases.

Under tight security, the King and his wife, Queen Aishwarya Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah, arrived at the center at about 7:20 p.m. At about 8 p.m. the monarchs attended a photo session screened by the Harvard Marshel's office.

This was the only access to the King and his entourage of about 20 allowed to outsiders.

After the presentation, the King--who attended the College in 1967-68 as a special student--and Queen moved across the street to the old President's house at 17 Quincy St. to dine with President Bok. Birenda is touring the country in an effort to convince the U.S. to recognize Nepal as a "zone of peace." More than 30 nations have already endorsed the proposal.

Outside the dining room, dinner guests had the opportunity to see the King's recent gifts to the University of two Nepalese religious artifacts. One is a model of a Hindu temple and the other is a model of a Buddhist Stupe.

Mounted in a six-ft. by four-ft. display case, grinning, gleaming metal lions guard the entrance of the gilded model temples. Tiny silver bells dangle from the ceiling of the temples. University officials have not decided where the gifts will be displayed to the public, a Harvard spokesman said yesterday.