However, a historical monarch still stands tall among his subjects at Talkot in Bajhang district. His rule still continues. [break]
Narayan Singh, 55, donned his 934-year-old kingly dress and bestowed blessings on his subjects on the occasion of the Dashain festival the other day.
Singh, considered the 17th king of Talkot Palace, wore the royal robe, supposedly worn by Medan Singh, the first monarch of Talkot, around a century ago, and blessed the people who came to visit him during Dashain.
“Why leave off this tradition hard-won by our ancestors. Our ancestors earned this territory by their might, not through any grant,” Narayan Singh told Republica.
He also informed that as a continuation of the century-old tradition, people from 15 surrounding villages come to Talkot to receive Dashain blessings from their king. Narayan also informed that the tradition continued uninterrupted even during the Maoist insurgency.
According to Narayan, his forefather Medan established a separate kingdom in Talkot after his brother Shakti Singh, the king of Bajhang, could not agree over invading Tibet.
Narayan further informed that besides during Dashain, people around the place traditionally offer the king a small portion of their crops during the harvest season.
Unlike his other relatives who have already left the fort and migrated to the Tarai, Narayan wishes to remain in the place and continue the kingly tradition in honor of his proud ancestors.
According to Narayan, the regal dress was given to the first king of the dynasty by their family deity, Masta. It is believed that the Talkot kingship will remain as long as the dress remains. “This dress has endured wear and tear to date. It is still like new and shines in the dark,” he added.
“We respect the king as a long-held tradition. We also honor the promise our forefathers made to the deity to respect the monarchy here,” said an octogenarian local, Dhwaj Bista of Lugad VDC.
Rajendra Bhandari, another local, informed that the local Dalit community volunteers its services to the Talkot king for five days during Dashain while other castes in the surrounding villages look after household chores at the fort during the festival. Even the Nepal government provides security to the traditions of Dashain, which concludes with the sacrifice of goats and a male buffalo at the fort on the 9th day of the festival.
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