President Scraps Traditional Farewell Requiring Five Virgins

Heads of state in Nepal were traditionally seen off by fve pre-pubescent girls representing the Hindu goddesses Durga, Sarshwati, Laxmi, Radha and Annapurna, who performed religious rituals to bring success.

They were presented with traditional marigold garlands in a ceremony designed to bring good fortune to the departing leader.

But Rajendra Dahal, spokesman for President Ram Baran Yadav, said: "The President felt sorry for the students who used to have to wait outside in the sun for hours, so he scrapped the tradition."

Mr. Yadav took over as head of state following the abolition of Nepal's 240-year-old Hindu monarchy in 2008 by the then Maoist government.

A trip to India was his frst foreign visit as President.

India is a long-time ally of Nepal as well as its main trading partner, but relations were strained when theMaoist party came to power in 2008 following a surprise election win.

Mr. Yadav was set to meet his Indian counterpart and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on a visit aimed at strengthening ties between the two countries, Mr. Dahal said.

"This is purely a goodwill visit," he said.

"President Ram Baran Yadav will seek to strengthen the mutual understanding between the two neighbours and will extend the good wishes of the Nepalese people to the Indian people."

Mr. Yadav, Nepal's frst President, was accompanied on his trip by Nepalese Tourism Minister Sharad Singh Bhandari, as the Government sought to boost the number of visitors to the impoverished Himalayan nation.