Guwahati, Oct. 31 :     Hundreds of earthen lamps floated down the Brahmaputra on bamboo rafts this evening, carrying hopes of a new dawn that would usher in peace in this strife-torn land. The lamps were set afloat by thousands of people who gathered here today at the initiative of the Assam Satra Mahasabha, the apex body of all Vaishnavaite monasteries in the state. Before setting afloat the lamps, people from different walks of life, irrespective of their religious faiths, threw burning torches into the mighty river ? revered in Assamese folklore as the giver of life and a source of strength ? to symbolise the extinguishing of the flames of unrest. Sending a loud and clear signal to the insurgents, the people shouted slogans like ?We want peace? and ?Extinguish the fire of violence? to the accompaniment of taals (cymbals) and khols (traditional drums). ?We humbly appeal to everyone not to be overcome by anger and choose the path of self-destruction,? said Yugadananda Deva Goswami, president of the mahasabha, at the Judges Field earlier. Deva Goswami criticised the rebels for becoming tools in the hands of hostile foreign powers, adding that some intellectuals and politicians were also to blame for this. ?Since killings, kidnappings, rapes and terrorism are now threatening the very existence of Assamese society and the people fervently want peace to be restored, the mahasabha has, instead of remaining a silent spectator, organised this peace march through the length and breadth of Assam with the cooperation of people of all religions and communities,? Lakhikanta Mahanta, general secretary of the mahasabha, said. Those who participated in the peace march here included Bikul Baruah, younger brother of Ulfa commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah, Suren Kumar Baruah, elder brother of Ulfa general secretary Anup Chetia alias Golap Baruah, and Lila Hazarika, brother of Ulfa finance secretary Chitrabon Hazarika. Stating that the demand for an ?independent? Assam was unrealistic, the Ulfa general secretary?s brother said both sides should adopt a give-and-take policy and resolve their differences through talks. ?We plan to go to Delhi and meet the President to seek his intervention,? he said. However, Assam chief minister Prafulla Mahanta rejected the proposal, saying that the government could give it a thought only if the rebels sent feelers. Mahanta was not invited to the meeting, but he waited for the rallyists to pass by the circuit house so that he could pay his respects to the satradhikars (Vaishnavaite monks). He took knelt down on the road to seek their blessings. Director-general of police P.V. Sumant was also present.