Mahendra of Nepal
Encyclopedia
Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, King of Nepal (11 June 1920 – 31 January 1972) was King of Nepal
from 1955 to 1972.
of Nepal. Although Tribhuvan was nominally king since 1911, he was only window-dressing for de-facto rule by the Rana dynasty
of hereditary prime minister
s, civil servants and army officers that had been in power since 1846. Mahendra was also captive in Narayanhiti Palace
, virtually a gilded cage. In 1940 he married Indra Rajya Laxmi, daughter of General Hari Shamsher Rana . They had three sons, Birendra
, Gyanendra
, Dhirendra
and three daughters Shanti, Sharada and Shobha. Queen Indra died in 1950. In 1952 Mahendra married Indra's sister Ratna Rajya Lakshmi Devi. This second marriage produced no children.
Meanwhile popular discontent and the British withdrawal from India in 1947 had made Rana rule increasingly untenable. In 1950 the political situation had deteriorated so far that the personal safety of the royals was in doubt. Tribhuvan and most of his family escaped to India. Open revolt ensued and by the end of the year the Ranas agreed to a coalition government under Tribhuvan in which they shared power equally with the Nepali Congress
Party. By the end of the year the Ranas were maneuvered out and Nepal's first experiment with democratic government under constitutional monarchy
was underway, however Tribhuvan's health was poor and he died in 1955.
Mahendra was crowned on May 2, 1956. He succeeded Tribhuvan as king of Nepal.
On 15 December 1960 he suspended the constitution, dissolved parliament, dismissed the cabinet, imposed direct rule and imprisoned then prime minister Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala
and his closest government colleagues. Mahendra instituted a Panchayat hierarchical system of village, district and national councils, a variant of guided democracy
. He pursued a foreign policy of neutrality between China and India.
Mahendra was made a British Field Marshal in 1960. Mahendra implemented a land reform policy, which provided land to many landless people. The Mahendra Highway
(also called East-West Highway) that runs along the entire Terai belt in southern Nepal was constructed during his reign. He played a key role in making Nepal a member of the United Nations
.
with Tiger Tops Hotel proprietor John Coapman, also associated with the CIA at the time, who reported in 1977 that Mahendra died in his arms after eating dinner "on shikar" and died 31 January 1972 in Bharatpur
.
His son Birendra
assumed the throne on 24 February 1975 but died 1 June 2001 along with siblings Dhirendra, Shanti and Sharada in the Nepalese royal massacre
. Shobha was wounded but survived and Gyanendra was not present. As of May 2010 Mahendra is also survived by his widow, Queen Mother Ratna.
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
from 1955 to 1972.
Early life
Mahendra was born 11 June 1920 to King Tribhuvan Bir Bikram ShahTribhuvan of Nepal
King Tribhuhvan Bir Bikram Shah , King of Nepal was King of Nepal from 11 December 1911 until his death...
of Nepal. Although Tribhuvan was nominally king since 1911, he was only window-dressing for de-facto rule by the Rana dynasty
Rana dynasty
The Rana dynasty ruled the Kingdom of Nepal from 1846 until 1953, reducing the Shah monarch to a figurehead and making Prime Minister and other government positions hereditary...
of hereditary prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
s, civil servants and army officers that had been in power since 1846. Mahendra was also captive in Narayanhiti Palace
Narayanhity Royal Palace
The Narayanhiti Palace Museum, or Narayanhiti Durbar , is a palace in Kathmandu, Nepal which long served as a primary residence for the country's monarchs. Narayanhiti, in Narayanhiti Palace, is made up of two words ‘narayan’ and ‘hiti’...
, virtually a gilded cage. In 1940 he married Indra Rajya Laxmi, daughter of General Hari Shamsher Rana . They had three sons, Birendra
Birendra of Nepal
Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev was a King of Nepal. The son of King Mahendra, whom he succeeded in 1972, he reigned until his death in the 2001 Nepalese royal massacre...
, Gyanendra
Gyanendra of Nepal
Gyanendra Shah was the last King of Nepal. During his life, he has held the title of the King twice: first between 1950 and 1951 as a child when his grandfather Tribhuvan was forced into exile in India with the rest of his family; and from 2001 to 2008, following the Nepalese royal massacre.King...
, Dhirendra
Dhirendra of Nepal
Dhirendra Bir Bikram Shah Deva of Nepal was the youngest son of King Mahendra of Nepal, and his first wife, Queen Indra....
and three daughters Shanti, Sharada and Shobha. Queen Indra died in 1950. In 1952 Mahendra married Indra's sister Ratna Rajya Lakshmi Devi. This second marriage produced no children.
Meanwhile popular discontent and the British withdrawal from India in 1947 had made Rana rule increasingly untenable. In 1950 the political situation had deteriorated so far that the personal safety of the royals was in doubt. Tribhuvan and most of his family escaped to India. Open revolt ensued and by the end of the year the Ranas agreed to a coalition government under Tribhuvan in which they shared power equally with the Nepali Congress
Nepali Congress
The Nepali Congress is a Nepalese political party. Nepali Congress led the 1950 Democratic Movement which successfully ended the Rana dynasty and allowed commoners to take part in the polity. It again led a democratic movement in 1990, in partnership with leftist forces, to end monarchy and...
Party. By the end of the year the Ranas were maneuvered out and Nepal's first experiment with democratic government under constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified or blended constitution...
was underway, however Tribhuvan's health was poor and he died in 1955.
Reign
On 15 December 1960 he suspended the constitution, dissolved parliament, dismissed the cabinet, imposed direct rule and imprisoned then prime minister Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala
Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala
Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala was the Prime Minister of Nepal from 1959 to 1960. He led the Nepali Congress, a social democratic political party.Koirala was the first democratically elected Prime Minister in Nepal's history...
and his closest government colleagues. Mahendra instituted a Panchayat hierarchical system of village, district and national councils, a variant of guided democracy
Guided Democracy
Guided democracy, also called managed democracy, is a term for a democratic government with increased autocracy. Governments are legitimated by elections that, while free and fair, are used by the government to continue their same policies and goals...
. He pursued a foreign policy of neutrality between China and India.
Mahendra was made a British Field Marshal in 1960. Mahendra implemented a land reform policy, which provided land to many landless people. The Mahendra Highway
Mahendra Highway
Mahendra Highway also called East West Highway runs across the Terai region of Nepal, from Kankarbhitta in the east to Mahendranagar in the west, cutting across the entire width of the country. It is the longest highway in Nepal.-Overview:...
(also called East-West Highway) that runs along the entire Terai belt in southern Nepal was constructed during his reign. He played a key role in making Nepal a member of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
.
Death and survivors
Mahendra suffered a heart attack while hunting in ChitwanChitwan Valley
Chitwan Valley is an Inner Terai valley in the south of Nepal, encompassing the districts of Makwanpur, Chitwan and Nawalparasi. The valley is part of the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion of about 150 km length and 30–48 km width....
with Tiger Tops Hotel proprietor John Coapman, also associated with the CIA at the time, who reported in 1977 that Mahendra died in his arms after eating dinner "on shikar" and died 31 January 1972 in Bharatpur
Bharatpur, Nepal
Bharatpur is a city in the central-southern part of Nepal. Located in Chitwan Valley, Bharatpur is the district headquarters of the Chitwan District, as well as a separate Municipal authority, and is the seventh largest city of Nepal with the population of 89,323 . The estimated population for...
.
His son Birendra
Birendra of Nepal
Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev was a King of Nepal. The son of King Mahendra, whom he succeeded in 1972, he reigned until his death in the 2001 Nepalese royal massacre...
assumed the throne on 24 February 1975 but died 1 June 2001 along with siblings Dhirendra, Shanti and Sharada in the Nepalese royal massacre
Nepalese royal massacre
The Nepalese royal massacre occurred on Friday, June 1, 2001, at a house in the grounds of the Narayanhity Royal Palace, then the residence of the Nepalese monarchy, when the heir to the throne, Prince Dipendra killed nine members of his family and himself. However, it hasn't been proven that...
. Shobha was wounded but survived and Gyanendra was not present. As of May 2010 Mahendra is also survived by his widow, Queen Mother Ratna.