The newly elected Constituent Assembly of Nepal, by an overwhelming majority passed a resolution abolishing the world’s only surviving Hindu Monarchy, and reducing to a commoner the Monarch, worshipped by many as a reincarnation of Lord Vishnu himself. The Monarchy in Nepal had completed a full circle. While the world at large in the 21st century has been mute witness to the demise of this once revered institution, few have really stopped to wonder how the monarchy came to be installed in this tiny Himalayan Kingdom. Various plausible explanations have been put forward in answer to the question as to how this Himalayan Kingdom derived its name ‘Nepal’. One possibility is that the word Nepal has been derived from Nepa, the ancient name for the Kathmandu valley. Alternately ‘Nepal’ may be derived from the Sanskrit nipalaya, which means at the foot of the mountains, or from the Tibetan niyatnpal, meaning holy land.

Whatever be the origin of the world Nepal, the kingdom finds a place of prominence in Hindu mythology. Scanty information is available about the early history of Nepal, which in ancient times comprised a number of small principalities ruled by local or tribal chieftains, who at varying points in time, came under the rule of different kingdoms of Northern India. The late 14th century, witnessed a brief period of unity under the Newar dynasty. This was however short-lived as by the end of the 15th century, the kingdom was carved in to three medieval principalities namely Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhadgaon.

The latter part of the 18th century witnessed the reunification of these three kingdoms as well as the numerous principalities on the periphery under Prithvi Narayan Shah, ruler of the small principality of Gorkha in the Himalayan foothills. Thus was established the rule of the Shah dynasty which guided the destiny of Nepal for around 240 years. Things however, were not always smooth sailing for the Shah Dynasty. Matters came to a head between Nepal and the British East India Company, eventually leading to the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814-16), in which Nepal suffered a complete rout. The Treaty of Sugauli was signed in 1816, ceding parts of the Nepali territories of Terrai and Sikkim to the British, in exchange for Nepalese autonomy.

In 1923 Britain and Nepal formally signed an agreement of friendship, whereby Great Britain recognized Nepal as a sovereign independent country. Besides, a British Resident was permanently stationed at Kath-mandu and exercised control over Nepal's defence and foreign affairs, and also the fear of a British invasion was permanently erased from the minds of the Nepalese people. However, popular unrest particularly in the rural areas led to an agitation movement, Jana Andolan, and forced the monarchy to accept constitutional reforms and establish a multiparty parliament. In May 1991, Nepal held its first parliamentary elections. The Nepali Congress won an absolute majority and formed the first elected government. Nepal is today the world’s youngest republic. The political parties have jointly achieved their common objective, namely the abolition of the monarchy. However, the road ahead seems blurred.