The participated in anti-Rana protests in 1950. She campaigned on the side of multiparty democracy in the 1980 referendum, she was at the barricades in the People's Movement of 1990. This year, 87-year-old Chhaya Debi Parajuli left her home and dozen grandchildren in Sunsari and travelled to Kathmandu at her own expense to join the demos against the October Fourth royal move.

"This is the third war that I've participated in," she says proudly. Draped from shoulder to feet in Nepali Congress flags, she is now a celebrity figure in the crowds. Without hesitation, she climbs on the shoulders of a young man willing to act as her mobile podium. Her strong clear voice rises above the babble of slogans, louder than that of other protesters. "Come on, your voices are not loud enough," she shouts, rallying a group of demonstrators at Putali Sadak. When riot police charge with their sticks, Chhaya Debi rides into battle.

Tear gas canisters exploded around her, bricks and sticks rain down nearby, fellow protesters retreat but Chhaya Debi leads the charge. She is hit by a police baton and is injured in the head. While she bleeds, she curses the police. A quick first aid, antiseptics and bandage on her head, and Chhaya Debi is on her feet again. But she is quickly carried away by policewomen into a police van-her seventh arrest so far. These days, Chhaya Debi is so well known among riot police that she is taken into custody before she even gets to the barricades.

Chhaya Debi has no interest in a political career, all she cares about is inspiring the politically indifferent young in Kathmandu to join the movement. "If I can come all the way from my village, why can't people here just take that little step?" she questions. We ask her how long she is going to go on. "Till the king backs down," she answers.