President Bidya Devi Bhandari attended a special program organized in the capital to mark the 296 Prithvi Jayanti. Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, chief of constitutional bodies, Ministers and other dignitaries attended the program.

President Bhandari and Prime Minister along with other dignitaries offered wreath in the statue of the Late King Shah situated at the western gate of Singha Durbar.

The government has declared a public holiday on this day to commemorate the contribution of Late King Shah. It is used to be marked as the National Unification Day at the state level. But the successive governments after 2006 dropped the idea, although some political parties and groups continued with the tradition on their own.

296th Prithvi Jayanti is being celebrated throughout the country marking the contribution of Late King Prithvi Narayan Shah in the unification of Nepal.

As the country marks 296th birth anniversary of King Prithvi Narayan Shah and National Unification Day tomorrow, it is a somber occasion for all Nepalis to objectively recognize the significance of the Nepali nationhood and the national rebuilding process in the changed context.

This discourse of national rebuilding calls for a thorough and candid evaluation of the role of Prithvi Narayan Shah, the architect and unifier of modern Nepal, more than ever with the country transforming into a federal democratic republic reports RSS.

The birth anniversary of King Prithvi Narayan Shah used to be marked as the National Unification Day at the state level. But the successive governments after 2006 dropped the idea, although some political parties and groups continued with the tradition on their own.

Speaking at an interaction organized by Nepal Academy to discuss Shah’s role in national unification, CPN-UML senior leader Jhalanath Khanal said foreign meddling in the country should be challenged united.

Satya Mohan Joshi said national unity would be strengthened if Nepal Rastra Bank printed Prithvi Narayan Shah’s picture on Nepali banknotes. Likewise, culture expert Jagman Gurung said the government should mark the unity day recalling the contributions made by Shah who preserved different cultures by uniting the nation.

Prof Ramesh Dhungel, Prof Surendra KC, Birendra Mishra and Academy’s Chancellor Ganga Prasad Upreti recalled the role of Shah in uniting many principalities into a single country. The purpose of discussing this background here is to put into context the significance of the National Unification Day.

People might differ on the role of Prithvi Narayan Shah and whether the unification campaign he started was only a geographical unification or truly a national unification. But the fact is that modern Nepal was built with the great efforts of King Prithvi Narayan Shah. The historical conditions during his time were different than today and he should be judged in that perspective. We should learn to respect history.