Nepal’s Doomed Fridays: From Royal Massacres to Power Grabs

Dr. Vidhu Prakash Kayastha

Nepal has witnessed a tumultuous history marked by violence and political upheaval. Curiously, several of its most infamous massacres, violent events, and royal coups have occurred on Fridays—a day that, for many, carries a mundane rhythm. But in Nepal’s historical narrative has been stained with blood and betrayal. This article explores these dark Fridays, focusing on their context, consequences, and the recurring theme of instability that has shaped modern Nepal.

The Nepalese Royal Massacre: Friday, June 1, 2001

The most shocking event in Nepal’s recent history unfolded on a Friday evening at the Narayanhiti Palace in Kathmandu. On June 1, 2001, Crown Prince Dipendra, reportedly intoxicated and enraged, opened fire on his family during a routine royal gathering. The massacre claimed the lives of nine royals, including King Birendra, Queen Aishwarya, and several siblings and relatives, before Dipendra turned the gun on himself. He slipped into a coma and was declared king while unconscious, dying three days later on June 4. His uncle, Gyanendra, who was absent from the event, ascended the throne amid widespread suspicion and grief.This Friday night not only decimated the royal lineage but also set the stage for the monarchy’s eventual downfall, amplifying political chaos during an ongoing Maoist insurgency.

The Prelude: Fridays in the Maoist Insurgency

While the royal massacre stands out, Fridays also marked violent episodes during Nepal’s decade-long Maoist insurgency (1996–2006), a conflict that claimed over 13,000 lives. The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) waged a guerrilla war against the monarchy and government, often striking with calculated brutality. Though specific Friday incidents are less documented as standalone events, the insurgency’s rhythm included frequent attacks on rural outposts, government offices, and security forces, some of which coincided with the end of the workweek. For instance, Maoist rebels were known to exploit Fridays—when administrative vigilance might wane—to launch ambushes or bombings, contributing to a climate of fear and instability.

The Royal Coup: Friday, February 1, 2005

Less than four years after the massacre, another Friday brought a dramatic shift in Nepal’s power structure. On February 1, 2005, King Gyanendra, who had assumed the throne in 2001, staged a royal coup, dissolving the government of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and declaring a state of emergency. Citing the government’s failure to quell the Maoist insurgency and hold elections, Gyanendra seized absolute power, suspending civil liberties, imposing censorship, and placing political leaders under house arrest. Soldiers patrolled Kathmandu, and communications were severed, plunging the nation into uncertainty.

This Friday coup was not a sudden whim but the culmination of Gyanendra’s fraught reign. Since 2002, he had dismissed three prime ministers, each time asserting royal prerogative over a faltering democracy. The 2005 move, however, was a bold overreach. Far from stabilizing Nepal, it galvanized opposition. The Maoists and a seven-party alliance intensified their resistance, leading to mass protests in April 2006 that forced Gyanendra to relinquish power. The monarchy, already tarnished by the 2001 massacre, lost its last vestiges of legitimacy, paving the way for its abolition in 2008 and Nepal’s transition to a republic.

The Monarchist Clash: Friday, March 28, 2025

Decades after the monarchy’s abolition, a violent echo of Nepal’s royal past reverberated on Friday, March 28, 2025, in Kathmandu. Pro-monarchy activists, rallying for the restoration of the monarchy and Nepal’s status as a Hindu kingdom, clashed with government forces in the Tinkune area. Thousands of demonstrators, waving national flags and chanting slogans like “Raja aau desh bachau” (May the King come to save the country) and “We want monarchy back,” confronted riot police armed with tear gas, batons, and water cannons. The protest, fueled by discontent with political corruption and economic stagnation, turned deadly as protesters torched vehicles, set buildings ablaze, and breached barricades. Two lives were lost—a protester killed by a bullet and a journalist who perished when a fire engulfed the building he was filming from—while dozens, including police, were injured. The government imposed a curfew and deployed the army, underscoring the depth of unrest. This Friday violence, linked to calls from former King Gyanendra for national unity, highlighted a resurgent monarchist movement nearly 17 years after the republic’s establishment.

Why Fridays?

The recurrence of Fridays in these pivotal events may be coincidental, but it invites reflection. In Nepal, Fridays mark the end of the workweek, a time when people gather—whether for royal dinners, political meetings, or public demonstrations—potentially making it a ripe moment for disruption. The royal family’s tradition of bi-monthly Friday dinners, for instance, provided the setting for the 2001 massacre. Similarly, Gyanendra’s coup exploited a Friday to catch the government off guard, leveraging the day’s transitional nature. While not a cultural or religious marker like in some traditions, Friday in Nepal’s modern history has become an unintended stage for violence and power struggles.

The infamous Kot Parba (Kot Massacre) took place in Nepal on Saturday, September 14, 1846. The Saturdays are public holidays in Nepal. This violent event occurred at the Kot Armory in Kathmandu, where Jung Bahadur Rana orchestrated a brutal purge of his rivals, killing dozens of high-ranking nobles and military officers. The massacre solidified Jung Bahadur’s power, marking the rise of the Rana dynasty, which ruled Nepal with an iron grip for over a century until 1951. Unlike the Friday-centric events in Nepal’s modern history, this pivotal moment unfolded on a Saturday, cementing its place as a foundational episode in the nation’s political transformation.

Broader Implications and Legacy

These Fridays—June 1, 2001, February 1, 2005, and March 28, 2025—share a thread of tension between tradition and progress, monarchy and democracy. The 2001 massacre eroded the Shah dynasty’s divine aura, revealing its dysfunction. The 2005 coup exposed Gyanendra’s misjudgment, accelerating the monarchy’s collapse amid the Maoist war. The 2025 clash, set against a backdrop of political disillusionment, signals that royalist sentiments endure, challenging Nepal’s republican framework. Each event, intensified by the Maoist insurgency or its aftermath, reshaped the nation’s trajectory.

The legacy is complex. The monarchy’s 2008 abolition birthed a republic, but governance struggles persist, marked by instability and distrust. The 2001 massacre’s mysteries linger, while the 2005 coup warns against authoritarian overreach. The 2025 violence, as of April 1, 2025, raises fresh questions about Nepal’s future—can it reconcile its past with its present? These Fridays are not mere dates but turning points, exposing the fragility of power and the cost of division.

Nepal’s Fridays of fate—June 1, 2001, February 1, 2005, and March 28, 2025—form a grim chronicle of bloodshed, ambition, and resistance. From a royal massacre to a desperate coup and a monarchist uprising, these days encapsulate Nepal’s struggle to define itself. They reveal how moments of vulnerability—whether a family gathering, a political misstep, or a public outcry—can ignite history-altering chaos. As Nepal grapples with its republican identity, these Fridays stand as stark reminders: stability remains elusive when the past and present collide.

(Views are personal)