By Ben Dunant
JANAKPUR, Nepal—The Janaki Mandir was thronged with Hindu pilgrims in late February as a troupe of musicians sang a hymn to the resident goddess, Sita. But a banner in the outer courtyard honored a more earthly figure, who had visited the month before: the former king, Gyanendra Shah, who lost his throne when the monarchy was abolished in 2008. “King, come and save the country,” the banner said.
A vendor selling devotional flags not far from the temple gates, Raja Mahaseth, said that his sales had surged since the consecration of a temple to Ram, the legendary hero married to Sita, in Ayodhya, India, in January 2024. Now, Nepali Hindus en masse bought flags bearing the slogan “Victory to Lord Ram” and an angry image of the monkey-god Hanuman, he said.
A vendor selling devotional flags not far from the temple gates, Raja Mahaseth, said that his sales had surged since the consecration of a temple to Ram, the legendary hero married to Sita, in Ayodhya, India, in January 2024. Now, Nepali Hindus en masse bought flags bearing the slogan “Victory to Lord Ram” and an angry image of the monkey-god Hanuman, he said.
Both are common symbols of an aggressive Hindu nationalism that is increasingly spilling into Nepal, with the help of groups linked to India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The erection of the Ram Mandir, built on the site of a historic mosque torn down by a Hindu mob in 1992, marked the completion of a long-standing and divisive goal for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP.
The scene in Janakpur, which sits in Nepal’s southern plains close to the border with India, underscored a convergence of tradition, faith, and politics that poses a test to Nepal’s secular republic. As a parliamentary election approaches on March 5, calls to reinstate the king and bring an end to secularism have grown louder. Beyond the Janaki Mandir, the city’s streets echoed with the blare of speakers from campaign convoys.
This story was originally published in foreignpolicy.com. Read the full story here.
