KATHMANDU: Former King Gyanendra Shah has called upon the people to celebrate the Dashain festival in a peaceful, dignified and straightforward manner considering the risk of the coronavirus infection.

Issuing a statement on Saturday, the former King said that he would not be visiting temples and shrines on the day of Maha Ashtami, the eighth day of the festival.

He also mentioned that the program of offering tika to the general public on the day of Vijaya Dashami has been postponed.