Former Nepal Monarch begins Madhesh pilgrimage ahead of March elections

Jan 27, 2026

Janakpur (Nepal), Jan 27 (ANI): Nepal's former monarch Gyanendra Shah on Monday began a pilgrimage in Madhesh, performing Pooja at the Janaki Temple ahead of the House of Representatives elections scheduled in March. Shah was welcomed by a sea of followers at the historic temple complex, at a time when the nation is still transitioning after the Gen-Z protests in September last year. The pilgrimage is seen as an effort by the former monarch to consolidate influence and revive the demand for a constitutional monarchy in Nepal. Shah, accompanied by family members, arrived in Janakpur on Sunday evening and visited the Janaki Temple on Monday afternoon, surrounded by enthusiastic supporters and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) activists chanting pro-monarchy slogans. The temple premises echoed with chants and slogans in favour of the monarchy. In order to garner more interest from the public, after offering prayers at the Janaki Temple, Shah walked approximately 0.5 kilometres to the Ram Temple and the nearby Kaladevi Temple to perform additional rituals. Royalist groups and RPP leaders have consistently opposed the use of the prefix 'former', arguing that a king can never be considered 'ex'. This pressure appears to have resurfaced in the latest communication.