As the sun sets, the russet bricks of the Gorkha Durbar are suffused in golden light and a conch shell trumpets the end of prayers.

It was from this mountain-top fort that the Shah dynasty began its conquests nearly 240 years ago to shape what is now Nepal. But Gorkha is preparing for elections that may soon consign Nepal's monarchy to the history books.

Another Gorkha native, Baburam Bhattarai, was here this week to file nomination papers for an election in which his main rival is his maternal uncle of the NC. "This election will see the birth of a federal democratic republic of Nepal," Bhattarai told a rally on Monday in Gorkha's main square.

The Maoist ideologue climbed up to the Gorakhnath temple on Tuesday and was blessed by high priest, Tek Prasad Ghimire. Not everyone here is happy about getting rid of an institution that has historically been part of Gorkha's identity.

"Even if the monarchy is gone, we will keep praying to Gorakh Baba to protect this nation that Prithibi Narayan Shah founded," the head priest said. Bhattarai replied: "Now you must bless us for our victory."

The Shah dynasty actually started in Lamjung where Prithibi Narayan's ancestor Yasobramha Shah established a kingdom in the 16th century after escaping the Moghul invasion of north India.

"History forgot this place, the kings neglected us, so there won't be too many people here who will miss the monarchy," says Hari Dulal, who lives in Gaunsahar in Lamjung.

Prithibi Narayan was born at Gorkha Durbar and became the ninth Shah king at age 20. He immediately embarked on his conquests to first capture Nuwakot and then Kathmandu Valley in 1768. Gorkha was abandoned for centuries after Kathmandu became the capital.

It was King Birendra who rebuilt Gorkha's fort and its palaces in the 1980s. The masterplan for the restoration of one palace was designed by none other than urban planner-turned-revolutionary, Baburam Bhattarai.

The museum took 22 years to finish at a cost of Rs 180 million, but its inauguration by king Gyanendra in April 2006 had to be postponed because of the people's movement. Now, UML and Maoist representatives here haven't allowed it to be opened because the displays "glorify the monarchy".

The Department of Archaeology has been instructed to look for exhibits depicting the indigenous Ghale and Gurung cultures of Gorkha. Museum curator, Ganesh Bhattarai, says wistfully: "History is history. It has meaning only when it is in the past. We may start valuing the monarchy only after it is gone."