As Nepal commemorates National Unity Day by organizing various programs to pay respect to King Prithvi Narayan Shah, a Nepali Army (NA) squad has embarked on a trek along the historic Gorakha-Kathmandu route, which was once used during Nepal's unification campaign by King Prithvi Narayan Shah.

After the removal of the monarchy, the political leadership gave up celebrating the National Unification Day in remembrance of Prithvi Narayan Shah, who was the first chief of the Nepal Army.

Following growing public pressure, the government has started to celebrate National Unity Day by declaring a public holiday on 11 January. Prithvi Narayan Shah began the unification of Nepal in 1743 and is also credited with moving the royal seat of power to Kathmandu. The journey aims to promote this historically significant route, which traces the path taken by the king during his unification initiative.

The trek will conclude with participation in the celebrations of Prithvi Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Prithvi Narayan Shah, observed on Push 27 in the Nepali calendar (January 11). This date also marks National Unification Day in Nepal. The trek will pass through Dhading and Nuwakot before reaching Kathmandu.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Ashok Kumar Chhetri, the chief of the NA's Ripumardan Battalion in Gorakha, the journey will include a special ceremony at Hanumandhoka in Kathmandu on National Unification Day.

The NA team departed from Hanuman Bhanjyang Chautara within the Durbar premises, carrying the national flag and lights to mark the beginning of their historic journey. The trip is supported and coordinated by the Gorkha Municipality and Bhimsen Thapa Rural Municipality in Gorkha and has been underway for the past six years.

Among those present at the farewell ceremony in the Durbar area were NA personnel, local representatives, and Punya Bikram Paudel, the Chief District Officer of Gorkha.

As a unifier of Nepal, the Nepal Army symbolizes King Prithvi Narayan Shah, a unifier, as a symbol of unity of Nepal and the Nepal Army. The opening of the trekking route highlights the importance of the role played by King Prithvi Narayan Shah during the unification of the country.