It was business as usual in the tourist hub of the capital on 28 April, the first of a two-day bandh called by student unions that ground the nation to a standstill. Thamel residents and business people decided to defy the bandh and remained fully open and functioning. The locals began their day with a motorcycle rally organised jointly by the local Community Service Society, six youth clubs and the Thamel Tourism Development Board. They requested shopkeepers and tourism entrepreneurs to stay open and cater to tourists and local clients. "The students were very supportive, they realised that Thamel has a special place in Nepal's tourism," says Chandeshwor Baidya, the executive member of Community Service Society. Despite Thamel's collective success on day one, the following day saw many businesses shut shop after leftist students threatened violence.