Kathmandu - Nepal's King Gyanendra, stripped of all executive and state powers after the April pro-democracy movement, observed his 60th birthday Friday amid a virtual boycott by the ruling Seven-Party Alliance (SPA) government. It was the first time in living memory of most Nepalese that the king's birthday was not a public holiday. The SPA government through a cabinet decision Monday scrapped the traditional public holiday that used to be observed in the country on the reigning monarch's birthday. The SPA government Thursday decided to send an official letter to the king on his birthday instead of ministers visiting the Royal Palace to wish happy birthday to the king. However, thousands of people turned up in front of the Nepalese Royal Palace Friday to greet King Gyanendra. They shouted slogans wishing long life to the Nepalese monarch. Shop-keeper Biswa Khakurel, 33, who was among those in the gathering, said, 'I have little faith in the political leaders. The king is like a father figure to us.' 'I know that I will be marked for coming here. But I don't care,' he added. A crowd of people wishing to greet the king personally gathered at the Nepalese Royal Palace Friday afternoon. Most of those queuing to enter the palace were carrying small bouquets to give to the king. King Gyanendra, who dismissed a popularly elected government on October 4, 2002, seized all executive powers in February 2005 despite opposition from all major political parties and the international community. He was first made king of Nepal at the age of three in November 1950 when the then King Tribhuban, joining forces with the agitating political parties, fled the country and sought asylum in India. But Gyanendra's reign was short lived as his grandfather King Tribhuban returned home in triumph in February 1951. He again became king in June 2002 following the Royal Palace massacre that killed King Birendra and all his immediate family members.