Kathmandu: We read about the Maoist insurgency and how it has affected the lives of the people in remote areas but rarely are we able to understand the subtlety with which it has changed the beautiful landscapes. In a conversation with an old man, Shree Bhakta Khanal writes that the village may be beautiful but every house is on fire. This exhibition of photographs is a collection of slides that document the lives from Rukum, Rolpa and Surkhet to the Maoist Rehabilitation Centre.

‘No Peace Here’, as the exhibition is called, is a poignant summary of the situation that haunts the daily life of villagers and innocent lives caught in the People’s war. A silhouette of a little boy pointing to the remains of his house is heart-rending. “A Maoist cadre lying next to me was asleep but remained awake the whole night. I told him that the fear of the explosion of the grenade and electronic detonator placed closed to my pillow didn’t allow me to sleep,” shares Khanal, who once worked as a journalist for Himal Khabarpatrika. “‘Don’t be scared. Take a grenade in your hands and smile and I will take your photo,’ he said.”

Khanal set out to these high-risk areas wanting to begin a book. The concept has not developed further. “I couldn’t get to many places that I wanted to see. Sometimes it was difficult receiving permission from the Maoists or I had to wait a long time. But I wanted to share the photos with people.”The show travels to Tanahun now.