Sayaun Thunga Phulka

Nepali official English translation == History ==

Following the unanimous decision on 19 May 2006, by the interim House of Representatives of the Kingdom of Nepal, the old national anthem was discontinued. Subsequently, on 30 November 2006, the National Anthem Selection Task Team selected a new composition written by poet Byakul Maila. This anthem was chosen from among 1,272 submissions received from across the country. It was officially approved on 20 April 2007. Later, on 3 August 2007, "Sayaun Thunga Phulka" was officially declared as Nepal's national anthem by the House of Representatives. Musically, the anthem spans one octave, with both its lowest and highest notes at D. == Protocol ==

The public performance of the anthem is regulated by the law. All citizens must stand and show respect to the flag while radio and television stations shall broadcast the anthem during "startup" and "closedown". == Controversy ==

During the selection process, Byakul Maila was required to prove he was not a royalist and encountered difficulties when it was discovered that he had once edited a book of poetry that contained a contribution from King Gyanendra. Some of Nepal's Maoist leaders preferred a stronger, more revolutionary anthem akin to the communist "Internationale", and even took their own CDs into the final selection meeting hoping to overturn Byakul Maila's and Amber Gurung's effort. == See also ==