During the Maoist Dasai ceasefire rebels celebrated the festival in their own way. According to locals in Tarakhola of Baglung district, more than 300 Maoists gathered to receive tika from their commanders and senior leaders. They justified the ritual not as a religious ceremony but as an auspicious occasion to symbolise their 'victorious war' over the state. One Maoist was heard saying, "This tika is to get blessings from our leaders to finish off the old regime." This shocked locals who used to be told that old traditions like Dasai needed to be abolished. On the other hand, there were a huge number of Maoists who protested against Dasai in Resh, Bihu and Bhimapokhri. They rallied villagers for financial support, shouting slogans like, "The nation is burning. Support us. We'll celebrate Dasai next year." In the south of Baglung, Maoists organised a meeting with representatives of various political parties, putting tika and asking them to support their demand for a constituent assembly.