At an altitude of 1,145 Gorkha is 20 km north of the village of Abu Khaireni on the Prithvi Highway along a good all –weather road, 136 km west of Kathmandu and 106 km east of Pokhara .Probably Nepal’s most famous village, it is the ancestral home of the Shaha dynasty, the birth place of King Prithvi Narayan Shah after whom the Prithvi Highway is named, and was at the heart of the recruiting area for Gurkha regiments. The modern village is a steepish walk to the south of Prithvi Narayan’s Gorkha Durbar headquarters and, considering it’s role in the history of Nepal, surprisingly small.

KING PRITHVI NARAYAN SHAH
Regarded as the founding father of the modern state of Nepal, Prithvi Narayan Shah was born in 1723 and, the age of 20, succeeded to the Gorkha throne established in 1560 by Dravya Shah. He soon demonstrated an unusual proficiency in leadership, and his rule was noted for it’s justice, efficiency and tolerance.
Under his command, the Thakuri, Tamang and Magar soldiers became known collectively as the Gurkhas. Myth has it that the legendary saint Gorkhanath, appearing disguised as an old man, foretold that Prithvi Narayan would rule Wherever his feet would take him. With his eventual success he moved his capital from Gorkha to Kathmandu where it has remained ever since. Prithvi Narayan Shah died in 1775, Nepal’s present king, Birendra Bir Bikram shah is 10^th generation descendant.