Bijaya Lama, a media personality as well as a singer, distributes stickers to participants of the peace rally organized in Basantapur Durbar Square on the morning of 7 May, in what turned out to be the last day of the strike.
Information about the Peace Rally was also shared through Facebook and text messaging. A large number of youngsters from Kathmandu participated too.
Despite people having to walk from different parts of the city to Basantapur, and many of them encountering threats and attacks by YCL on the way, the gathering scheduled for 9 am attracted thousands of people to the square by 9:15 am.
Thousands of participants at the Peace Rally raise their hands and clap for peace at the Basantapur Durbar Square
YCL Cadres watch as the Peace Rally walks past them. The day started with them attacking the Peace Rally participants in various parts of the capital.
Security forces maintain a safe gap between the Peace Rally and the Maoist Rally as the mood grew increasingly hostile. While the Peace Rally shouted anti-Maoist slogans, the Maoists used their PA System to request the peace rally participants to not try to plough through their rally.
Police charge at the Peace Rally participants after the mood in the area grew tense and the possibility of confrontation between the Peace rally and YCL rally grew.
A police officer reloads his tear gas gun. Police fired at least half a dozen tear gas shots to disperse both the Peace Rally as well as a YCL Rally.
The security forces in Kathmandu did not have to use force for most parts of the 6-day shutdown.
Kashish Das Shrestha is a documentary photographer based in Kathmandu and New York. You can find more of his work atwww.dasimages.com.
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