FOLLOW-UP: The last in nepa-laya's trilogy of the conflict, People After War, is being launched on Saturday and pictures from this collection will be part of a permanent exhibition at Madan Puraskar from Saturday onwards.

When nepa-laya published its pictorial record of the conflict in December 2006 it became an instant bestseller. A selection of the 180 photographs in A People War were then taken around the country in a travelling photo exhibition that was seen by a staggering 350,000 people in 32 districts.

Now, nepa-laya is teaming up with Madan Puraskar to put the photographs on permanent display at the latter's library in Patan. The exhibition centre will also feature follow-up photographs of some of the subjects of A People War, as well as temporary exhibits from visiting photographers from conflict zones around the world.

The exhibition will serve as a repository of war experiences and testimonies for visitors as well as an archive for literature, letters, posters and other artefacts from the Nepali conflict that lasted from 1996 to 2006.

Explains nepa-laya's Kiran Shrestha: "We are very happy with this collaboration with Madan Puraskar and hope that a lot more people will not only view the photographs but also record their experiences and help in the healing process."

The permanent exhibit will open on Saturday, 20 November to coincide with the launch of the last book in Kunda Dixit's trilogy of books on the conflict, People After War. The third book follows A People War and Never Again, and also follows the subjects of the first book to find how they have coped with the legacy of war.

Says Dixit: "These are astounding stories of how people have struggled with their sorrow, survived and in many instances come out stronger. It shows the resilience and inner strength of the Nepali people."

Some photographs from People After War will also be touring various parts of the country for three weeks until 14 December.

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