Deadly protests: Is Nepal returning to monarchy? What prophecy says

Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Tuesday gave in to widespread Gen Z protests against the government’s decision to ban several social media platforms.After the government rolled back its order and lifted the bans, the demonstrations shifted focus on the second day, continuing with renewed momentum—this time targeting the government’s widespread corruption.

Now, all eyes are on who will succeed Oli and take over the government.Interestingly, the Gen Z protests come just months after the Rashtriya Prajatantra Party, along with pro-royalists, Hindu nationalists, and anti-federalists, held massive “pro-monarchy” demonstrations in Kathmandu.Tens of thousands of protesters had taken to the streets, demanding the restoration of the abolished monarchy and the reinstatement of the former king as head of state.The protestors also called for the revival of Hinduism as Nepal’s state religion.”Raja aaunparcha” (The king must return), they chanted.This groundswell of support comes amid deep frustration over Nepal’s post-monarchy period, which has been marked by instability. Since King Gyanendra stepped down, the country has witnessed more than a dozen regime changes.

The Prophecy

However, the push to restore the monarchy faces formidable barriers rooted in a centuries-old prophecy attributed to Guru Gorakhnath. According to Hindu belief, Gorakhnath, acting as a divine messenger, blessed Prithvi Narayan Shah—the 18th-century unifier of Nepal—with a monarchy destined to last for 11 generations.Royalist supporters widely embrace this prophecy, believing it reached its conclusion with King Dipendra Shah. Dipendra briefly ascended the throne while in a coma following the 2001 royal massacre—a tragedy that marked the monarchy’s rapid decline.His short reign was seen as the fulfilment of Gorakhnath’s blessing, and the eventual abolition of the Shah dynasty in 2008 was interpreted as the prophecy coming to pass.When Nepal’s constituent assembly formally ended the monarchy, many believers saw it not as a historical accident but as part of a cosmic plan.In 2008, the flag of Nepal’s 240-year-old Shah dynasty was lowered from the main palace in Kathmandu after the world’s last Hindu monarchy was abolished, two years after mass street protests forced Gyanendra to step down from absolute rule.Nepal then became a federal democratic republic, but since that transition, many citizens have grown frustrated with persistent political instability and worsening economic conditions.Despite the growing support for a royal revival, Gyanendra has remained silent on the renewed calls for his return. Political analysts believe his chances of reclaiming the throne remain slim. The republic is constitutionally enshrined, and mainstream political parties continue to strongly oppose reinstating the monarchy.Gyanendra, who first ascended the throne in 2002 after the tragic massacre of his brother King Birendra and his family, initially served as a constitutional monarch. However, in 2005, he seized absolute power—dissolving the government and parliament, jailing politicians and journalists, and imposing emergency rule.His authoritarian move sparked mass protests that ultimately led to the monarchy’s downfall and the establishment of a republic.