September 17th, 2025 - Nepal’s Capital in Ruins: Life Amid the Ashes of a “Zero State”

Days after arsonists reduced Nepal’s government to rubble, the air in Kathmandu still smelled of smoke and scorched paper. The Singha Durbar complex, once home to an ornate palace and roughly 20 ministries, had been almost entirely destroyed on September 9. Workers sifted through the wreckage of the prime minister’s office, carrying charred files and watching papers drift through the air, while a dog paused to urinate on a pile of demographic records.

Inside the blackened halls, the devastation was stark. The education minister’s office had walls punched out by fire, desks littered with pens and ruined phones, and staircases ending abruptly in debris. Outside, parking lots had become graveyards of burnt cars and motorcycles, while computers, office chairs, and other remnants lay scattered among the gardens. Nepal, already familiar with earthquakes and civil war, faced a destruction comparable to the ransacking of Washington, D.C.’s major government buildings in a single afternoon.

The protests that led to the arson began peacefully, with students demanding accountability for corruption and inequality. But the demonstrations escalated quickly, resulting in widespread destruction and more than 70 deaths over two days. The caretaker government, installed amid the chaos, now faces the immense task of operating without functioning ministries or critical infrastructure.

Interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki, working from one of the few buildings left intact, described the situation bluntly: “All the institutions responsible for running the country and documents were destroyed. We are in a zero state.” Mobs had set fire to the Supreme Court, the Special Court, and nearly every major ministry, destroying tens of thousands of legal and administrative files, including those essential for anti-corruption efforts.

The violence extended far beyond Kathmandu. Out of Nepal’s 753 local governments, around 300 suffered serious damage. Cities like Pokhara saw nearly all government buildings burned, leaving officials struggling to provide basic services. Police stations were torched, forcing officers to work from tents and in civilian clothes while trying to maintain order.

Much of Nepal’s governance relies on paper records rather than digital storage. Birth certificates, company registrations, audits, intelligence files, and even cash deposits at state-owned banks were lost in the fires. Karki pledged to rebuild, but acknowledged that many age-old files and critical records were permanently gone. Meanwhile, the passport authority survived, and thousands of Nepalis have since left the country each day in search of work and stability.

For those who lost their homes, vehicles, and possessions, the damage is immediate and personal. Compensation remains uncertain. In front of the finance ministry, survivors sifted through twisted wreckage searching for their belongings. Rajendra Shrestha found the remains of his motorcycle among the ruins. “It’s mine,” he said, “but it’s completely ruined.” He walked away, a small symbol of the larger loss faced by countless Nepalis in the aftermath of the violence.

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Example: The audience was in a jovial mood as the headlining comedian walked onto the stage.

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