King Prithvi Narayan Shah formed an alliance between the Basnyat and Pandey families of Gorkha in his quest for the unification of Nepal.

Later, Chitra Devi constructed the Narayan temple in Timal Danda in honour of her Father-in-law Kaji Shivram Singh.

His father Shivram Singh was the first military leader of Gorkha who laid down his life in the campaign of unification of Nepal in 1746 in Chhaling, (Naldum) near Bhaktapur.

His youngest brother Kazi Dhaukal Simha Basnyat, who also became the governor of Kumaun, was the first owner of present Narayanhity Palace.

King Prithvi Narayan Shah has stressed the importance of the Basnyats in his poetic piece known as "Dibya Upadesh" or "Divine Counsel" in English.

This alliance continued until the reign of King Rana Bahadur Shah, when Prime Minister Bhimsen Thapa came into power.

The Basnyat's sided with the Pandey's because of their earlier marital links with them back in Gorkha, ultimately removing the Thapa's from power.