SHAH PERIOD (1769 to 2008)

 During the middle of the 18th Century, there were about 500 small states in India and about 50 states in Nepal. The situation was completely chaotic in the sense that most of them were fighting with each other to expand their territory. Prithvi Narayan Shah, a ruler of small kingdom of  Gorkha thought of expanding his kingdom and to unite several states into one united country. He even perceived the dangers of remaining as small and scattered states in view of protection of gradually expanding British Empire in India. He successfully  started the process of unifying the small states. In 1768, after ten years of preparation, he managed to attack and conquer Kathmandu valley whicn was in fact Nepal in those days. Kathmandu fell to Gorkha regime on the day of the festival of Indra Yatra, the festival of the Virgin Goddess or Kumari. 

In view of the development and richness of cultural heritage of Kathmandu valley or the then Nepal, Prithvi Narayan decided to unite the country under the name of Nepal. He showed his exemplary magnanimity to accept the name and flag of the country he had conquered and at the same time shifted the capital to Kathmandu itself.  Prithve Narayan Shah died in 1775 and was succeeded by his younger son Bahadur Shah. 

The new Shah rulers, transferring their seat of power to Kathmandu after its conquest, undertook to expand and consolidate their territory. But in 1790, their troops met Chinese resistance while marching to Tibet, then a vassal of China. The 70,000 Chinese troops pushed the Gorkhas back into Nepal and defeated in the battle. The subsequent treaty stipulated that Nepal send the Chinese Emperor a tribute every five years. This was done all the way up to 1912.

Down South, Nepal was expanding its territory into India as well. By 1810, the kingdom extended from Kashmir to Sikkim and the size Nepal then became approximately double of its present size. Confrontations led to a two-year war with the British Empire between 1814-1816. Nepal was defeated at some stage and the Sugauli Treaty was signed in 1816. In accordance with treaty Nepal lost one-third of its territory. Another implication fo the treaty the opening of Nepal to British citizen even to reside in Nepal.  The borders were subsequently closed to foreigners which remained so for a long time until it is reopened in 1951.  The British resident and his successors were the only aliens within Nepal’s frontiers for well over a century.

The prime minister, Bhimsen Thapa, suffered humiliation from this defeat and was arrested and locked up and committed suicide in 1839. The period between 1836-1846 was marked with confusion and intrigues. Pandays, Basnyats, and Kunwars were all fighting each other for power. In 1846, Jung Bahadur Rana had himself designated prime minister and later “Maharajah” with powers superior to those of the king. He established an oligarchy which would last 104 years. The country was kept in isolation and the people were deprived of political and social rights. Enemies were assassinated or persecuted and the power structure and state moneys were directed solely to the self interest of the Ranas. The King was there but he was kept under complete control of the Ranas. In 1850, Jung Bahadur visited England and France bringing back ideas with him. One prime minister reformed the forced labor system, another started a college and started a newspaper but altogether much more harm than good was done.

After World War II, many changes were taking place. Colonies were gaining independence, particularly India from Great Britain. The Communists of China invaded Tibet, forcing many refugees to flee to Nepal and India.

A “liberal” Rana prime minister proposed a new constitution offering a measure of people’s participation through an administrative system known as panchayat. Village elders would solve problems locally with leaders elected to a national panchayat. But this new idea was soon undone by a successor.

With the support of Nepalese in exile and the revolutionaries within the boundaries of Nepal, the opponents of  Rana rule got united. Such opponents included some prominent members of the Rana family as well. All of them joined hands under the flag of a political eventually known as Nepali Congress and under the leadership of B.P. Koirala. The rightful monarch of Nepal, King Tribhuvan who was practically powerless and under the shadow of the Rana regime, was heralded as the embodiment of the democratic aspirations of the people.

In November 1950, the King fled to India under the pretense of going hunting. The “freedom fighters” of Nepal fought the Ranas, setting up bases in the Terai. As their was no decisive victor, India presided over a compromise. The King returned from India and soon thereafter, the Ranas went to live in India.

The period between 1951-1959 passed with uncertainty as the King did not comply with his promise of holding elections for the constituent assembly. Finally, only under pressure from the parties and the people, King Mahendra, son of King Tribhuvan declared elections for the parliament in 1959.

The Nepali Congress  won a majority of the seats in the new parliament. This led the King to fear he would be reduced to a ceremonial role and thus, on December 15, 1960 declared  that the politics copied from external world was not suitable for him and the country. He then took dictatorial action to ban the political parties including Nepali Congress took important leaders and workers under arrest. Two years later, he started the panchayat system. This so called democratic system is also known as partyless democratic system. As this system allowed no political parties to function, fundamental human rights were denied,  corruption became  rampant, state money was misused,and that no  economic development was made in the country, people became more and more dissatisfied and started raising voice against the authoritarian regime of the King. 

There were several agitations against the regime of the King but could not successful. King Mahendra died in 1972 and was succeeded by his son, Birendra. In 1980, there was large scale discontment among the people causing outburst of violence. The King called for a referendum giving option to choose whether they want Panchayat System with some modification of the multi-party Democracy. It was largely believed that the then government succeded in rigging the votes and brought out the result in favor of the Panchayat victory. The situation became even more suppressive afterwards.

In 1989, a trade impasse erupted with India. India blockaded 17 of the 19 entry points. This led to much discontent from which the opposition parties capitalized. The Nepali Congress, with support of the Communists, launched a mass movement against the Panchayat system. It was successful in mobilizing people from all walks of life and resulted into victory of the people’s fight for democracy. Two aspects were unprecedented in this movement. One was the alliance of the Nepali Congress with the Communists. The second was the international support for the movement.

After the change, the interim government headed by the Nepali Congress leader Krishna Prasad Bhattarai was formed. The tasks of the government included framing the constitution and holding a general election for Parliament.

The multiparty democracy could survive for subsequent twelve years only because of the power seeking designs of the King, particularly King Gyanendra who succeded his brother as a result of ferocious murder of King Birendra’s family and more. As the political parties had difficulty in running a stable government, King Gyanendra took over absolute power and the over the country contrary to the will of the people. 

As result peole got united in various forms and fronts which  culminated into a 19 days long fight to the finish demonstrations. The Maoist who were engaged in armed conflict for  a decade also joined this people’s Movement in April 2006 which finally ended the rule of Shah dynasty as well as the Monarchy in February 2008.