Nepal to seek India's help to build historic museum

KATHMANDU: Nepal will seek India's support to build a grand museum in Kathmandu that would reflect its politics, history, culture as well its struggle to transform itself from a monarchy to a democratic republic.

Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal who is leaving on an official visit to India on Tuesday told PTI that Nepal is going to build three museums, Narayanhiti Palace Museum, People's Movement Museum and an ethnic museum representing the cultural diversity of the country.

"We would like India to support in building one of these museums," he said.

India's support was crucial for the success of the People's Movement of April 2006 which restored multi party democracy and abolished the 240-year-old monarchy last year.

Thousands of Nepalese and foreign travellers visit the Narayanhiti Palace daily where the 2001 royal massacre took place that killed the entire family members of King Birendra. The centuries-old palace will be developed as a history museum, Nepal said.

Nepal formally abolished monarchy through an overwhelming majority vote in the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly on May 28, 2008 and turned the country into a federal democratic republic.