Will monarchy return to Nepal? What Guru Gorakhnath’s prophecy blessed the rulers with

Will monarchy return to Nepal?

Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli stepped down following massive Gen Z-led protests triggered by the government’s decision to ban several social media platforms. Although the order was rolled back and the bans lifted, demonstrations only intensified on the second day, shifting focus to widespread corruption in the government.

The unrest has now turned attention to the question of Oli’s successor, as Nepal grapples with escalating chaos. The ongoing turmoil has also revived Guru Gorakhnath's centuries-old prophecy, which has resurfaced in public discourse amid the crisis.

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.

What did  Guru Gorakhnath say? 

As violent anti-government protests sweep Nepal, demonstrators are linking their movement to a centuries-old prophecy attributed to Hindu saint Guru Gorakhnath. The prophecy, which royalist supporters strongly believe in, has reignited debate over Nepal’s abolished monarchy.

According to legend, Guru Gorakhnath blessed King Prithvi Narayan Shah, the 18th-century unifier of Nepal, with a dynasty destined to last for 11 generations. Royalists interpret the brief reign of King Dipendra Shah, who ascended the throne while in a coma during the 2001 palace massacre, as the fulfillment of that prophecy.

His short rule, followed by the monarchy’s abolition in 2008, was widely seen as the prophecy coming true. In May 2008, the flag of Nepal’s 240-year-old Shah dynasty was lowered from the palace in Kathmandu, formally ending the world’s last Hindu monarchy.

Nepal transitioned into a federal democratic republic, but persistent political instability and economic hardships have since fueled nostalgia for royal rule.

Despite growing calls for revival, analysts note that the monarchy faces insurmountable hurdles.

The republic is constitutionally enshrined, and mainstream political parties remain firmly against reinstating the Shah dynasty. Gyanendra Shah, who took the throne in 2002 after the massacre of King Birendra’s family but seized absolute power in 2005, triggering mass protests, has stayed silent on the renewed debate.

“People are seeing this slogan of Gen Z by linking it to the prophecy of Guru Gorakhnath,” one commentary noted, as speculation mounts over the monarchy’s future.

Supporters remain divided. Some believe the prophecy ended with King Dipendra, while others argue another Shah generation must yet rule Nepal.

Amid the current unrest, attention has turned to former King Gyanendra, who has lived a largely private life since 2008. Residing at Nirmal Niwas in Kathmandu and occasionally at his cottage ‘Hemantabas’ in Nagarjun Hills, he rarely appears in public except at ceremonial events in March and May, which still draw thousands of loyalists.

His daughter-in-law, Himani Shah, and grandson Hridayendra have made public appearances recently, but Gyanendra himself has yet to express any desire to return to power.