When is Prithvi Jayanti?
Prithvi Jayanti is a holiday in Nepal, observed on January 11th. It has not been a public holiday in recent years, though it is widely observed.
The leaders ranging from the President of the country to the party leaders and commoners all observe the day with zeal and a sense of gratitude.
The day commemorates King Prithvi Narayan Shah, the founder of modern Nepal.
In 2023, in response to pressure from the pro-monarchy Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), the government declared a public holiday for Prithvi Jayanti, for the first time since 2008. The RPP had proposed the Prithvi Jayanti holiday as a precondition for its support to the Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led government. Therefore, the government decided on the holiday.
History of Prithvi Jayanti
King Prithvi Narayan Shah, was enthroned at the age of 20 in Gorkha, one of 54 states in Nepal at that time.
He began expanding his realm in 1743. After conquering Kathmandu Valley in 1768, he became monarch of modern-day Nepal, establishing a period of hereditary rule that only ended in 2008 when Nepal became a republic.
One of his reasons for uniting the states was to make it harder for the region to be occupied by the British Empire.
Prithvi Narayan Shah died on January 11th 1775.
National Unity Day
The government stopped celebrating January 11th (Poush 27) as National Unity Day, which was traditionally celebrated as a public holiday, following the political change brought about by the second people’s movement in 2006.
