Shriman Gambhir


"", also known as "Rāṣṭriya Gān", was the national anthem of the Kingdom of Nepal from 1962 to 19 May 2006, when the political parties prepared to abolish the monarchy. It was officially replaced by "Sayaun Thunga Phulka".

History

The music was composed by Bakhat Bahadur Budhapirthi in 1899, and the lyrics were written by Chakrapani Chalise in 1924. It was adopted as the country's national anthem in 1962, as a homage to the Nepalese sovereign.
The song originally had two stanzas, but the Nepalese government dropped the second stanza upon adopting the song as the national anthem. The stanza that was retained honoured the king.

Replacement

Following the 2006 democracy movement in Nepal, "Rastriya Gaan" was discontinued by order of the interim legislature of Nepal in August 2007, after it was seen as merely glorifying the monarchy instead of representing the nation as a whole. It was then replaced by the current national anthem "Sayaun Thunga Phulka".

Lyrics

When officially adopted, the government of Nepal dropped the second verse of the song.
The second verse of the song largely remained unknown to most people. On 11 January 2019, a video was released on YouTube of a re-recorded and rendered version of the anthem with its second verse. The first four-bar of the song features a regal orchestral introduction which is soon followed by a choir singing. It was dropped in the version which became the national anthem.

Nepali originalIPA transcription
श्रीमान् गम्भीर नेपाली
प्रचण्ड प्रतापी भूपति
श्री पाँच सरकार महाराजाधिराजको सदा रहोस् उन्नति
राखुन् चिरायु ईशले
प्रजा फैलियोस, पुकारौँ जय प्रेमले
हामी नेपाली साराले
वैरी सरु हराउन्, शान्त होउन् सबै बिघ्न व्यथा,
गाउन् सारा दुनियाँले सहर्ष नाथको सुकीर्ति-कथा;
राखौँ कमान,भारी-वीरताले,नेपालीमाथि सधैँ नाथको,
श्री होस् ठुलो हामी गोर्खालीको
Srimān gambhir Nepāli
Pracanḍa pratāpi bhupati
Sri pāñch sarkār Mahārājādhirājako sadā rahos unnati
Rākhun cirāyu isale
Prajā phailios, pukārauñ jaya premale
Hāmi Nepāli sārāle.
Bairi saru harāun, sānta houn sabai bighna byathā
Gāun sārā duniyāñle saharsa nāthako sukirti kathā
Rākhauñ kamān bhāri biratāle Nepālimāthi sadhaiñ nāthako
Sri hos ṭhulo hāmi gorkhāliko.



English translation
Thee may glory crown, courageous Sovereign,
Ye gallant Nepalese,
Great King of Kings, our ruler glorious,
May he live on and on,
May his subjects multiply,
May every Nepalese chant with joy.
May all foes vanish, and may disaster lessen.
May the whole world chant in glee the triumph of the lord.
May the lord's audacious bow forever shield the Nepalese.
Victory to thee, O supreme ruler of Gorkhali.