King Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah

Introduction to Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah

King Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah was the First Democratic King of Nepal. He was also the longest reigning Shah King of Nepal from 1911 A.D. to 1953 A.D. He ascended to the throne of Nepal at the age of five.

He was crowned on 9 Falgun 1911 A.D. at the Nasal Chowk, Hanuman Dhoka Palace in Kathmandu. As he was just a child, his mother acted as his Regent.

Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah is known as the Father of the Nation of Nepal. He played a Kingly role in bringing down the Rana who ruled Nepal autocratically for 104 years and established democracy.

Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah was born in In 1963 and ascended the throne at the age of only 5 years in 1911 A.D. during the reign of Chandra Shumsher.

During his reign, Chandra Shumsher, Bhim Shumsher, Juddha Shumsher, Padma Shumsher, and Mohan Shumsher ruled Nepal. Among the 9 Rana Prime Ministers who ruled for 104 years, 5 were working during the reign of Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah. Finally, the autocratic Rana rule came to an end during the time of Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah.

Reign of King Tribhuvan

Tribhuvan was born in 1906 A.D. as the eldest son of Prithvi Bir Bikram Shah. The Early Years of King Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah were quite eventful. He tried to assassinate the Whole Rana Family but his son Mahendra exposed it to his wife who told it to her family resulting in the Failure of the Plan.

Despite the failure of some schemes, King Tribhuvan is known throughout Nepal and the World for successfully removing the Rana Regime and establishing Democracy in Nepal.

For 104 years, Nepal was under the Rana regime. They had established themselves in the Military, Bureaucracy and the Politics of Nepal. Ranas, in modern Day Nepal, are widely infamous for oppressing the Nepalese People and enforcing an Autocratic System.

King Tribhuvan backed, Financially and Morally, the Movement led by Praja Parishad. Praja Parishad were extensively engaged in removing the Roots of Rana Regime in Nepal.

As a result of his financial support for Praja Parishad, King Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah was kept under strict surveillance inside the Narayanhiti Palace. He had to request permission before traveling anywhere. Moreover, his movements were closely monitored by the Ranas.

In 2007 B.S., protests against the Rana regime heightened in Nepal. Ganesh Man Singh, was arrested by the Ranas. Ganesh Man Singh, remembered as the Iron Man of Nepal, is a celebrated Figure of Nepalese Independence from the Ranas and Politics.

The Prime Minister at the time, Mohan Shumsher, told King Tribhuvan to sign a letter allowing the death penalty for Ganeshman Singh. However, King Tribhuvan denied the request.

Following a fateful incident, Mohan Shumsher (The Last Rana Prime Minister of Nepal) held a meeting with George Falconer. He was a representative from the British Embassy. The meeting’s agenda was to end King Tribhuvan’s reign.

King Tribhuvan soon learned of the meeting and he contacted Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s Prime Minister. He, therefore, Requested Nehru to intervene in the matter.

Abdication of King Tribhuvan

As events unfolded, King Tribhuvan denied going to Palpa with the team of B.P. Koirala the first time. However, when Jawaharlal Nehru suggested coming to India, King Tribhuvan agreed willingly. To ensure his safety, he had to escape to the Indian Embassy. The Embassy was filled with soldiers for the purposes of increasing Security.

King Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah told Mohan Shumsher on Kartik 20 (2007 B.S.) that he and his family would be visiting Nagarjun Durbar, and Mohan Shumsher granted permission.

When King Tribhuvan departed the Royal Palace for Nagarjun the next day, their vehicle turned toward the Indian Embassy. He fled the Royal Palace of Nepal with 17 Other Family Members but had to leave Gyanendra Shah because of the unprecedented circumstances.

International Media including BCC and VOA were an advocate of this Abdication and the World was given attention to the Political Crisis in Nepal.

After King Tribhuvan’s abdication, he sent some men to bring him back, but the Indian Embassy declined to do so. Subsequently, Gyanendra Shah was crowned king at the age of four with the signatures of 258 parliamentarians.

King Tribhuvan sent a message to Nepalese citizens in Poush 26 (2007 B.S.) to end the revolution. He arrived in Nepal and declared that the Rana regime had ended and that democracy had arrived. 

He also formulated the Interim Government of Nepal Act, 2007 B.S. He modernized the Judiciary of Nepal and ushered in a new Era of Democratic Practices in Nepal. He died in 2011 B.S. and his son King Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah became the King of Nepal.

Conclusion

King Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah was the first democratic king of Nepal also known as the Father of Democratic Nepal. He ascended to the throne at the age of five in 1911 A.D.. He reigned over Nepal for more than 4 Decades. At the end of his reign, a Democratic Constitutional Monarchy was instituted in Nepal.

Miscellaneous

References

Cite

Pokhrel, A. (2023). King Prithvi Bir Bikram Shah – Itihasaa. Encyclopedia of Nepali History. https://itihasaa.com/modern-kings/prithvi-bir-bikram-shah/

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