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My father Chidambar Prasad Lohani, a businessman in Kathmandu, and very close to King Birendra, is totally devastated.
I may have to fly down to Nepal.
I was shocked when I heard the news.
I've met the royal family pretty often; as recently as last year.
They were wonderful people and this news has come as a very big shock to us. As a family, we are in mourning.
I spoke to mummy, who is there. She's totally devastated.
The king was a man of few words.
The queen and he made a wonderful couple. The entire family was very down-to-earth.
They used to meet everyone as commoners -- they were so good as examples of real human beings; the way they mixed with everybody.
It is very shocking and I don't think we will get over this for a very long time.
For us they were an embodiment of an "avtaar" of God. It's a big shock for us, especially for my father, who is very close to them.
My father was very close to the king's father too, who was very patriotic.
I'm so shocked that I just cannot see this in the proper perspective. I'll be in a better position to do so once I go to Nepal.
I don't know if the country will recover from this shock. It has dealt a very severe blow to the nation.
If you knew the royal couple, you'd feel very bad.
The queen was such a multi-dimensional person -- she was so alive that it is difficult to accept the fact that she's no more.
It's very difficult to come to terms with this reality. Pratibha Lohani is the daughter of film actress Mala Sinha and Chidambar Prasad Lohani, a businessman who is very close to the royal family.
As told to Lata Khubchandani
Death of a Monarch: The Complete Coverage
EXTERNAL LINKS The Constitution of Nepal All about Nepal Laws of Nepal The Cabinet Information on Nepal The World Factbook: Nepal Nepal News The Nepal Media Nepal Home Page Government and Politics Directory Political History Embassy of India Embassy World New York Times: Royal Family of Nepal Are Killed in Palace Shooting
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