KATMANDU, Nepal — The main palace in Nepal’s capital lowered the flag of the country’s royal family yesterday, a day after lawmakers, led by former communist insurgents, abolished the monarchy that had reigned over the Himalayan land for 239 years.

Palace staff took down the small red standard with a flag-waving lion and replaced it with Nepal’s national flag, a red banner of two triangles adorned with a sun and moon.

The changing of the flag was “a decision by the government to show that Nepal is now a republic,” a palace official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of palace rules said.

An overwhelming majority of the assembly declared Nepal a republic Wednesday, sparking celebrations across the country. Thousands marched, danced, and sang in the streets of Katmandu, setting off firecrackers, waving hammer-and-sickle flags and denouncing King Gyanendra as a thief.

By yesterday, the celebrations had largely tapered off with Nepalis relaxing at the start of the three-day national holiday declared to mark the country’s rebirth as a republic. There were some scattered gatherings across Katmandu, and a few hundred people gathered outside the pink concrete palace, chanting “Gyanendra is a thief, leave the country!”

There was no immediate reaction to the abolition of the throne from the dour 61-year-old former monarch, who remained silent in recent months as it became apparent that his days as king were numbered.

King Gyanendra now has 15 days to quit the 1970s-era palace and move to his large private residence in the city — or face the possibility of being removed by force.

King Gyanendra assumed the throne after his brother, the late King Birendra, and much of the royal family was slain at a palace gathering allegedly by the crown prince, who then killed himself.

The killings helped pierce the mystique surrounding a line of kings who had once been revered as reincarnations of the Hindu god Vishnu, and King Gyanendra was dogged by rumors that he was somehow involved in the massacre.

His popularity only further plummeted after he seized power from a civilian government in 2005, saying he needed total authority to crush the Maoists.

Instead, he found himself beset by an intensifying insurgency and a faltering economy.

A year later, weeks of massive protests forced King Gyanendra to restore democracy, after which the Maoists came out of the bush and began peace talks.

In related news, America has revised its policy and met with former Maoist rebels who have been elected to top positions in Nepal’s new government.