LAHORE: King Bhumibol of Thailand today prolonged his stay in Jehangir’s tomb by half an hour in order to climb one of the four marble minarets nearly 100 feet high. The King went up without the Queen who declined to try it. “I would prefer to stay downstairs,” she said.

The Minister-in-Waiting, Lt-Gen K.M. Shaikh, and the Pakistan Ambassador in Thailand, Mr Hamid Nawaz, accompanied the King to the top of the minaret.

A keen photographer, the Thai monarch took a number of pictures of the sprawling City below. The attention of the young King was drawn to the view of the Badshahi mosque. While at the tomb, the Royal couple and the members of their party took keen interest in its one-storey structure built in red sandstone richly inlaid with white marble.

The King and the Queen asked a number of questions about the marble and the colourful engravings of the 99 attributes of God, the Emperor’s name and the date of his death.

The Queen made keen inquiries about the life of Noor Jehan. The Queen listened attentively as Dr Waliullah, Superintendent of the Archaeological Department spoke about Noor Jehan’s accomplishments in the affairs of the State. The Queen was informed that the mortal remains of Noor Jehan were buried outside the garden in accordance with her own wishes.

As the Queen expressed her gratitude to Dr Waliullah, the Commissioner of the Lahore division, Mr Hammad Raza, remarked: “Your Majesty, he has not told you one thing: how the romance of Jehangir and Noor Jehan began.” At this Queen laughed. — Agencies