Achham, May 8 -- The grandeur of Achham Durbar came to a violent end on the night of February 16, 2002, when then Maoist rebels launched a midnight assault on Mangalsen, the district headquarters of Achham, during Nepal's insurgency. The palace, the main target of the attack, was left in ruins.

Twenty-four years later, a new palace stands on the same site. But despite taking 16 years to rebuild at a cost of around Rs25 million, the structure remains largely unused and its future unclear.

Former deputy prime minister and urban development minister Prakash Man Singh inaugurated the reconstructed palace on March 3, 2025, amid much fanfare. Fourteen months later, the 30-room building still sits empty.

For many residents, the silence surrou...