Dedicated to Daniel Pearl

Will King Gyanendra leave royal palace and shift to his house–Nirmal Niwas after the first sitting of the Constituent Assembly? It is a million dollar question now. The sense that King Gyanendra will turn a common citizen following the first sitting of the Constituent Assembly has filled all Nepalese people with immense wonder. Of course, he will have to leave the royal palace and shift to his own house, where he used to live in the capacity of the Late King Birendra’s brother. But almost everybody in Nepal feels it hard to believe that King Gyanendra will take his belongings in vehicles and he along with his family members will drive to his house at Maharajgunj, some two kilometers from the royal palace. I am personally much anxious to see that day when King Gyanendra will load his belongings in vehicles and few more vehicles will march towards his house. Gyanendra as a common citizen will drive his jaguar to his house. Paras will follow him with his own family members. It will be a historical day, as it is the first time a king leaves his palace and moves to his house with his belongings. Then, will people be allowed to visit the royal palace? I hope people will notice every room and may be they will try to find out the traces of Late King Birendra and his family members. People are anxious to see if there is any sign of the murder of the late king Birendra and his family members found. I am sure, if people are allowed to enter the royal palace, they will visit every small room to find out how King Birendra was killed. People haven’t yet believed that Crown Prince Dipendra killed all the royal members including the king. They hold the current king Gyanendra responsible for the murder. The people will definitely try to link Gyanendra in the murder of his brother King Birendra.

I  haven’t visited the royal palace but I have heard that King Gyanendra has already demolished the buildings where the murder took place. I am sure he has done the best to remove all the proofs of the murder. But people will continue trying to find out the truth.

I also feel much sorry for King Gyanendra, who in fact invited his own doom. Had he not tinkered into the political activities, people would have accepted him as the king. His ambition to become the ruler collapsed the entire monarchy. He is responsible for the collapse of one the oldest monarchies in the world.

I wonder how he will manage to stay as a commoner in Nepal. He will have to accept this hard reality. I remember my visit to far western region some three years ago. During my visit in Dipayal I met a guy, who was drunk and holding a radio in his left. Music was on in the radio, the lean and thin guy was attired in black suit. I was surprised when passersby greeted him as ‘Aru you ok, crown prince?’. I asked the locals why they were calling him as the crown prince. The locals then told him that his ancestors were kings in the region. After Late King Prithvinarayan Shah conquered and annexed all small states into a unified Nepal, his ancestors were no more monarchs. However, people have respect for his ancestors and call him as the Crown Prince.

I wonder King Gyanendra and his successors will remain king and princes only for name. The monarchy will go forever.

ADIEU TO 240-YEAR MONARCHY OF NEPAL.