The King is gone, long live the King

Monarchy in Nepal ended four years ago. But the last monarch Gyanendra Shah hasn’t faded quietly into the sunset. The 65-year-old still manages to pull crowds during public appearances and there are many who want him back — as king.

Updated on: May 31, 2012, 01:13:49 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Monarchy in Nepal ended four years ago. But the last monarch Gyanendra Shah hasn’t faded quietly into the sunset. The 65-year-old still manages to pull crowds during public appearances and there are many who want him back — as king.

Pro-monarchy sentiments are very much alive in Nepal and the recent failure of the Constituent Assembly, elected after Shah’s ouster, to deliver a new constitution could give royalists a fresh lease of life.

The deposed king is aware of such emotions and keeps making comments expressing concern for the present state of affairs. Now he and his followers have found another medium of expression, courtesy a pro-monarchy website launched recently.

The portal, nepalroyal.com, has become a platform for hundreds of royalists to express their dissatisfaction with the present political set up. It has a message from Shah as well.

“We have created this website for the citizens to express their views on the current situation of Nepal and suggest what sort of future they want to give their children,” the message reads. “As a citizen of this nation, I am concerned about the serious problems that you, I and my beloved nation are facing.”

The site is linked with another site www.nepalkoaawaz.com (Nepal’s Voice). Significantly, it was launched on May 27, the day the CA was dissolved and a day ahead of the fourth anniversary of Gyanendra’s deposition.

The site seems to have been launched by Manisha Koirala, noted Bollywood actress from Nepal who belongs to the Koirala family of Nepali Congress, the country’s first pro-democracy party.

“Yes your majesty, we totally agree with you. All Nepalis should come together and realise that if we let the situation be, we, our nation will suffer even further till there is no nation,” she comments.

In his remarks, former PM and member of pro-monarchy Rashtriya Prajatantra Party Lokendra Bahadur Chand thanks Koirala.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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