Narayanhiti Palace facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Narayanhiti Royal Palace नारायणहिटी दरवार
General information
Town or city	Kathmandu
Country	Nepal
Construction started	1963 AD
Client	Dhokal Singh Basnyat, King Mahendra, Bir Shumsher JBR
Owner	Government of Nepal
Technical details
Structural system	Brick and Mortar
Size	38 acres (15 ha) or 753 ropanis
Design and construction
Architect	Benjamin Polk

The Narayanhiti Palace Museum (in Nepali: नारायणहिटी दरवार) is a public museum in Kathmandu, Nepal. It is located east of the Kaiser Mahal and close to Thamel.

This museum was created in 2008 from the old Narayanhiti Palace complex. This happened after the 2006 revolution in Nepal. Before the revolution, the palace was the home and main workplace for the monarch of the Kingdom of Nepal. It was also used for important state events.

King Mahendra built the current palace complex in 1963. It has many courtyards, beautiful gardens, and different buildings.

What Does Narayanhiti Mean?

The name Narayanhiti comes from two words: 'Narayana' and 'Hiti'.

• Narayana is the name of the Hindu god Vishnu. There is a temple dedicated to Vishnu right opposite the palace.
• Hiti means "water spout" in the Newar language. There is a famous water spout to the east of the palace's main entrance. This water spout is part of many local stories and legends.

History of the Royal Palace

Early Owners of the Land

The land where the palace stands today had many different owners before it became a royal residence. For example, Prime Minister Fateh Jung Shah lived there. His father, Choutaria Pran Shah, also lived on the property.

In 1846, Fateh Jung Shah was killed in a tragic event called the Kot massacre. His family was either killed or sent away from Kathmandu. Other important families, like Prime Minister Chautariya Pushkar Shah's family, also lived in this area. This land was mostly used by Chautariya families.

Later, Colonel Ranodip Singh Kunwar, who was the brother of Jung Bahadur Rana, took over the property. He moved into the residence after making some small changes. When Ranodip became prime minister in 1877, the palace was made much bigger and more grand. Ranodip himself passed away in the palace in 1885 during a coup d'état.

Becoming a Royal Home

Bir Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana became Prime Minister after Ranodip. He took over the palace. In 1886, Bir Shumsher decided to tear down the old palace. He ordered a new one to be built by architect Jogbir Sthapit. This new palace was for King Prithvi Bir Bikram Shah, who was his son-in-law. This is how Narayanhiti became the main home for the royal family, moving them from Hanuman Dhoka Durbar.

The palace was damaged in the 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake. Sadly, two young daughters of King Tribhuvan died in the earthquake. An engineer named Colonel Surya Jung Thapa oversaw the repairs. During these repairs, a new entrance and a grand staircase were added.

King Mahendra decided to demolish the palace again in 1963. He wanted a completely new palace built. The new design was created by an American architect named Benjamin Polk. He was living in India at the time. The new palace used traditional Nepalese architectural styles. This was done to make it a national symbol. Construction finished in 1969. A special housewarming party was held on February 27, 1970. This was for the wedding of Crown Prince Birendra.

In 1972, King Mahendra declared that the palace was the property of the Government of Nepal. He said that the land had originally been a dowry for Queen Divyeshwari, his grandmother.

On June 1, 2001, a very sad event occurred in the palace. Several members of the royal family passed away, including King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya.

From Palace to Museum

The monarchy in Nepal ended after the 2006 revolution. The last king, Gyanendra, left Narayanhiti on June 11, 2008. After this, the former palace was turned into the Narayanhiti Palace Museum. The valuable royal crown jewels were put on display for the public in October 2018.

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  The old Narayanhiti Palace around 1920, before it was torn down in 1958.

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  The legendary water spout near the palace.

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  The Narayan Temple inside the palace grounds.

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  A 7th-century Garuda statue outside the Narayan Temple.

Inside the Palace

The Narayanhiti Palace covers a large area, about 3,794 square meters (40,838 square feet). It is divided into three main sections:

• The guest wing (for visitors)
• The state wing (for official events)
• The private wing (for the royal family)

The palace has 52 rooms, which are called sadan. Each room is named after one of the 75 Districts of Nepal. The inside of the palace is decorated in a style similar to Late Victorian art.

The Throne Room: Gorkha Baithak

The most important room in the palace is the throne room, called Gorkha Baithak. It is located right above another room called Kaski Baithak.

The Gorkha Baithak is designed like a Hindu temple. It has a very tall ceiling, about 60 feet high, shaped like a pagoda. A huge Chandelier that is 48 feet long hangs from this ceiling. The ceiling is supported by four concrete columns that look like Nāga (mythical snake-like beings). The room is also decorated with Hindu guardian figures called the Astha Matrikas and Ashta Bhairava.

The Throne of the Kingdom of Nepal was placed under this high ceiling. This was the room where the king would make important royal announcements on special occasions. Next to the Gorkha Baithak is a room called Dolpa Sadan. From here, people could secretly watch what was happening in the Gorkha Baithak through a special one-way mirror.

Royal Ceremonies

The Dhanusha Baithak room in the Narayanhiti Palace was used for important royal ceremonies. The king would give out awards and decorations here. It was also used for special traditions like teeka and darshan during the Dashain festival. During these times, the royal family and high-ranking government and military officials would gather.

See also

• Rana palaces of Nepal
• Madan Puraskar Pustakalaya
• Jagadamba Kumari Devi