Hridayendra Shah’s quiet Jumla Walk in the land where kings once mattered

Hridayendra Shah, the grandson of Nepal’s last king, quietly walked through Jumla — a place once ruled under a monarchy that no longer exists, but where memory still clings to stone walls and curious villagers. His visit wasn’t political, but it felt symbolic. In a region where royal bloodlines once held meaning, a young man born into a dethroned dynasty stirred quiet conversations just by showing up.

The former crown prince’s trip was documented in a YouTube vlog titled ‘Lukeko Swarga ko Khoji’ — a search for the hidden heaven. But for many, it looked more like a prince meeting his people, even if unintentionally.

He drank local coffee, smiled at strangers, asked questions about education, and wandered temples and valleys with the humility not often associated with royals. Most didn’t know what his voice sounded like until now. Most had never seen him this up-close.

When 75-year-old Panchakali Budha asked his name, he replied softly, “Hridayendra Bir Bikram Shah.” Her reaction was pure excitement: “I’ve heard that name before!”

Somewhere between the highlands and the health posts, between the gumbas and government schools, Hridayendra met a side of Nepal that still remembers kings — not with loyalty perhaps, but with a strange, wistful curiosity.

While today’s youth may not know the monarchs of the past, Jumla’s elders still point at schools and say, “This was built in your grandfather’s time.” At the Karnali Technical School, he asked how many students were enrolled. “Maybe 800,” someone replied, adding that many graduates now work in government jobs.

It was not a royal visit. No guards, no ceremony, no speech. But it didn’t need to be. Every stop he made turned into a quiet spectacle — people staring not because he demanded it, but because his name did.

In a time when Nepal’s political climate is anything but nostalgic for monarchy, Hridayendra’s presence still sparks debate. Some say he’s just a privileged youth romanticizing rural Nepal. Others whisper, maybe this is how you rebuild legacy — not through power, but presence.

He didn’t say much. But when asked when Nepal will become prosperous, his answer was simple: “If people work well, and we try together, it can happen.”

In the land where kings once mattered, a royal returned — not to rule, but to listen.