Kathmandu, Dec 2 - Four years ago, when Mt Everest was the tallest peak in the world and Nepal's King Gyanendra the emperor of Hindus worldwide, both were considered national icons by the world's only Hindu kingdom with the god-king towering over the mountain.

Today, after a Communist revolution ushered in sweeping changes and the sleepy kingdom opted to oust its king to become a secular republic, it is the Everest that rules the roost in Nepal.

After King Gyanendra's bid to rule the country directly with the support of the army failed, an aggrieved nation axed monarchy and began erasing all signs of the royals.

The king's face on currency notes was the first to go, which was replaced by images of the peak. Then the Narayanhity royal palace, which had been the seat of power during the king's 14-month rule, became a national museum open to the public.

Now, more changes are afoot with the Everest to be the venue of a meeting of Nepal's cabinet while the Narayahity has been further downgraded to an outdoor location for Nepali films.

On Friday, Nepal's Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal will be holding the nation's first ministerial meeting ever on the Gorakshep, a sandy plateau at 5,165 metre that is the last village before the Everest base camp.

More than two dozen ministers and their aides will take part in the meeting, expected to last about 20 minutes, to draw the attention of the world to the perils of global warming and climate changes.

The Himalayan region in northern Nepal, where seven more of the world's 10 highest peaks are located, is in the frontline of danger once the rising temperature worldwide starts melting the mountain glaciers and triggering avalanches and deluges.

While Mt Everest has got the seal of official approval, the Narayanhity's stature is decreasing. The government last week allowed the makers of a routine song-and-dance Nepali film to shoot a dance sequence on its grounds.

Four years ago, the pink palace was one of the most jealously guarded places in the country with soldiers of the Royal Nepalese Army keeping watch from several towers behind the high walls.

But last week, little-known Nepali director Manish Pant shot a song and dance sequence for his upcoming film - "Zindegani Darpanchhaya" (Life's like a reflection), making it the first film ever to be shot inside the former palace.

Two pairs of young lovers - played by popular actors Dilip Rayamajhi, Nandita KC, Santosh Agrahari and Rajani Pradhan - gyrated on the sprawling lawn of the pink pagoda palace while the cameramen clicked busily.

Pant, who comes from Butwal town outside Kathmandu Valley, said the palace would be the USP of the film, drawing viewers who live outside the capital and have not glimpsed the former seat of power.

Though initially the culture ministry was loath to allow the shooting, it agreed after the film unit agreed to indemnify the palace authorities in case they broke any flower pot during the shooting or damaged any of the plants or artifacts.

The former royal family remained tight-lipped about the intrusion.

Last year, deposed king Gyanendra had expressed his displeasure when the government allowed the media to enter the summer resort where he was allowed to move in after vacating the palace.

Television stations had a field day showing the modest interiors of the Nagarjun summer palace, which were far removed from the grand images people had in their minds about the royal family's reportedly opulent lifestyle. (IANS)