Nepal’s Royal Treasure of Diamonds & Pearls Comes on Display!

Nepal is currently on news this time not just for its usual updates, instead for its more than centuries-year-old royal crown (termed ‘priceless’) unveiled at the Narayanhiti Museum/Narayanhiti Palace on October 15, 2018.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli unveiled to public, the centuries-old royal treasury used by the erstwhile Nepali kings of the 250-year-old Shah dynasty.

The unveiled royal treasury included the Royal Crown of 723 diamonds, 2,372 pearls, precious gems & rubies, apart from jewels, artefacts, tiara worn by Shah queens, king’s scepter, sword and shield, all housed in a solid bulletproof glass case protected by a break-in alarm!

Addressing the grand ceremony, Oli said this treasure is a reminder to the current generation about the power that lies with the general public in deciding power, prosperity and changing the course of history.

“Monarchy has become history. Though the contributions some former monarchs to national unification were positive, that doesn’t justify the system of right to rule on the basis of birth,” said Oli.

In his address, the Director General of the Department of Archaeology Bhesh Narayan Dahal said there has been a security measure in place under the central command of Nepal Army to protect the treasure.

According to the authorities, these royal artefacts are currently on display at the Surkhet and Rupandehi rooms inside the former palace building and will be open for the public visit from October 22, 2018, after the Dashain festival.

Background
This national treasure, which belongs to the erstwhile Shah dynasty and used by former kings for centuries, was nationalized after the Constituent Assembly overthrew the 240-yr-old Shah regime in the country in May 2008.

And, it was King Gyanendra Shah who lastly experienced this grand royalty of the Shah dynasty and modified in 1971 for the then King Birendra Shah. 

Nepal Government’s earlier attempts to bring them to public display after the end of kingship rule did not work out due to various reasons such as security and lack of coordination among several line agencies over the issue.