SOAS Research Online

Abstract

Nepal’s adoption of a new national anthem in 2007 reflected a decision to establish a new social and political order that was republican, federal and inclusive of the country’s many minority communities. It came after the ending of a ten-year internal conflict, and was followed by the abolition of the Shah monarchy that had ruled the country since the late 18th century. This article describes the historical and political context of the decision to replace the old anthem, the selection of the new anthem, and the debates that arose in the Nepali media and public sphere after its lyrics and the identity of its author were made known. The discussion refers to arguments made by Karen Cerulo about the relationship between the syntactic structure of national anthems and the stage reached in the process of political modernisation of the nation state in question, and provides some comparative perspectives on the Nepali case.