Part II: The Palaces of Western Nepal

Nepal, a young republic, is blessed with numerous palaces scattered around the country. Some palaces were handed to the Government of Nepal, some suffered a sad fate, and some are now trying to make economic sense. 

In countries that go through communist revolutions- the first structures to be destroyed are palace structures- one of these was the Achham Palace. 

Achham Palace was a three-storied tall building with 30 rooms and was built in the style of Kathmandu’s Hanuman Dhoka Durban Square. Stunning Nepali Intricate woodwork adorned the palace.  

The palace was sold to the Government of Nepal by the Achhami kings and was used for the Achham Chief District Office.

In 2002, Maoists bombed the Durbar killing 122 people including Mohan Singh Khatri Chief District Officer. The reconstruction started in 2008 after the peace process started but remained incomplete even till 2022. 

Times have changed and Nepal once again has tried to attract tourism by utilizing its magnificent heritage. 

One of the famous palaces outside Kathmandu is Rani Mahal in Palpa. The palace was commissioned by Khadga Samsher in memory of his beloved wife Tej Kumari. 

This palace is compared to the Taj Mahal of Nepal, as the building was built in memory of a late wife like the Mughal Emperor of India. 

In 2020 an idea was initiated to convert Rani Mahal into a heritage hotel, but it sparked controversy among the stakeholders. The opponents of the decision claimed the conversion would lose its charm and authenticity while the proponents including the Hotel Association Nepal believed it would preserve the beauty and grandeur of the palace.

The argument was made that Nepal has not been able to attract high-end tourists to such unique heritage sites.

These sites have also been a prime destination for rafting, one of the journeys from Ruru Chetra Dham Ridi to Ramdi is a 25km long water journey, and one of the attractions while rafting is the stunning view of the Rani mahal. 

Ancient Monument Preservation Act 2013 deals with the preservation of cultural and heritage sites but fails to mention how routinely such restoration work will be carried out while the budget for such heritage sites has been grossly insufficient for periodic maintenance.  

Nepal has incredible stories on its ancient palaces. Some are dark and unknown to even Nepalis. 

Rajkot Palace The Rajkot suffered a battle with Pyuthan in which the Rajkot king lost the battle, leading to the entire generation of Rajkot royalty being killed and their soldiers pushed to their death from a cliff. 

Palaces reveal amazing stories of love, tragedy, and bravery, and as each hill in Nepal has its own royalty, many thrilling documentaries can be made on the subject. 

The examples in the post are only the tip of the iceberg. Or the “tip of the Everest”! 

Nepal is an enchanted country of adventure and history, stories need to be told before it’s too late…. 

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