Kishtwar:
After twelve days of curfew following communal clashes on August 9, people from the mountain town of Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir came together for a peace rally. Hundreds of people from both Hindu and Muslim communities in Kishtwar held the rally once the police announced that the curfew was lifted. Both communities claim that their mistrust is more to do with political ideologies.
At Asrar Abad neighborhood, named after Kishtwar's patron saint, Shah Asrar, two men - Jeya Lal Shan and Abdul Majid Bichoo - are spearheading a social movement against divisive politics and communal forces.
"We held a meeting of saner people from our ward and decided that that we will not allow any outsider to come and cause disturbances here, nor will any youth from here go out. And look nothing happened here'' said Mr Shan, a respected lawyer from Kistwar.
"We appreciate good work by politicians but please don't mix our society with your politics. Hindus and Muslims want to live together.
Yesterday when curfew was relaxed, everybody hugged each other. Where was the conflict? Give us chance to come out. You don't allow us to come out'' said Mr Majid Bichoo.
Three people were killed and property was destroyed in the riots on August 9 riots. The locals however say they can withstand the test and maintain communal bonds.
"It is like if I sleep these people (Muslims) remain awake for my protection. When riots took place, youth of this neighborhood stood outside my home for my protection,'' says Satish Kumar, a shopkeeper, who lives in a predominantly Muslim locality, Shaheedi Mohalla, in the town.
Though a political party boycotted the reconciliation, the real voices from the ground in Kishtwar have spoken - and the town has bounced back to its true traditions.