- The return of pro-royalty feelings combined with the push of Hindu culture shows the enduring cultural and political relationships between Nepal and India.
- For centuries the Gorakhnath Math operated under Yogi Adityanath has preserved substantial connections with Nepal’s royal household.
- The Chinese are staying away from opposing the monarchy while making investments through their BRI to back secular political forces.
Nepal’s transition to a secular republic in 2008 was implemented to establish Nepal as a country that would be both politically stable and inclusive. The last decade has brought forth governance problems and economic stagnation as well as ethnic conflicts in the people of the Himalayan Country. The return of pro-royalty feelings combined with push of Hindu culture shows the enduring cultural and political relationships between Nepal and India.
Recent Developments: The Kathmandu Rally
The gathering of pro-monarchy supporters at Kathmandu had over 10,000 participants who cheered the return of former King Gyanendra Shah to Nepal as they demanded his restoration to power. Controversy ensued at the rally after organizers displayed posters of Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Aditynath prompting claims that India was involved in Nepalese domestic affairs.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli of Nepal denounced the Adityanath imagery during the rally while asserting that Indian forces supported the pro-monarchy movement. The pro-monarchy supporters rejected these accusations by stating Oli’s government created the situation to undermine their political movement.
Historical Context: The Gorakhnath Math and Nepal’s Monarchy
For centuries the Gorakhnath Math operated under Yogi Adityanath has preserved substantial connections with Nepal’s royal household. Mahant Avaidyanath guided Yogi Adityanath as his mentor while he served as spiritual counselor to former King Birendra of Nepal. In 1990 Avaidyanath influenced King Birendra to change Nepal’s constitution and establish it as a Hindu state while implementing Hindu nationalist orders that prohibited cow slaughter. The rich history of the Gorakhnath Mutt continues to shape the current political events in Nepal.
Geopolitical Implications
India’s cultural leadership was at the demonstration in Nepal through the public presentation of Yogi Adityanath’s posters at the rally. For India, the return of a Hindu monarchy can be a strategic tool to counterbalance China’s growing influence in the region. Both factors contribute to this plan, but Adityanath specifically remains popular among the Nepalese Hindu community, which may help India influence its position.
The Chinese government maintains a calculated approach which includes staying away from opposition against the monarchy while making economic investments through their Belt and Road Initiative to back secular political forces. By following this approach, China has maintained equal influence in Nepal while staying at peace with the political leaders.
Domestic Fallout in Nepal
The plans for restoring a monarchic system trigger worries among minority groups since they believe such a return would lead to more ethnic conflicts along with increased marginalization. Royalist political power seeks to use rejection of corruption to promote their interests although many voters remain hesitant about returning to the monarchy they see as unsteady.
Maha-Kumbh Impact
The recently included Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh served as a venue for exploring the return of a Hindu monarchy in Nepal through a pro-Hindu movement. Cultural exchanges at the Maha Kumbh along with other Himalayan Hindu festivals might impact the Nepalese discussions about Hindu Rashtra through a series of Hindu nationalist discourses between Nepalese and Indian groups.
The pro-monarchy movement in Nepal which brought Yogi Adityanath in the limelight signifies how multiple cultural and political forces from across the region interact with regional dynamics. As Nepal moves forward it needs to solve governance issues while avoiding new rivalries between regions or internal spreading of tensions. The result of this situation will shape the Indian Sub-continent strategic environment necessitating smart diplomatic approaches and inclusive administrative management.
References:
- Thousands in Nepal want the monarchy back as public frustration with politics grows- https://apnews.com/article/nepal-monarchy-king-rally-hindu-414a582b912810f5a19a4e41e8badf18
- Maha Kumbh: Only Sanatan Dharma followers will have the right to contest elections under the ‘Hindu Rashtra Constitution’- https://www.deccanherald.com/india/uttar-pradesh/maha-kumbh-only-sanatan-dharma-followers-will-have-right-to-contest-elections-under-hindu-rashtra-constitution-3372973
- Why Yogi Adityanath’s photo at a pro-monarchist rally has angered Nepal- https://www.firstpost.com/explainers/yogi-adityanath-photo-pro-monarchist-rally-former-king-gyanendra-shah-nepal-13870917.html
- Yogi Adityanath’s royal connection: Former royal family of Nepal trace their origin to Guru Gorakshanath- https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/yogi-adityanaths-royal-connection-former-royal-family-of-nepal-trace-their-origin-to-guru-gorakshanath/articleshow/57722870.cms
Parag is pursuing his master’s at the Jindal School of International Affairs. Views expressed are the author’s own.
Piyush Anand 
Aayush Pal 
Sakshi Yadav