Yaosang in Manipur: The Holi Festival of the Northeast

Imagine people on the roads singing and dancing to folk tunes, all dressed in traditional clothes and their faces looking bright in different colors! This may be the same everywhere in India to show respect to Lord Krishna during Holi but the Yaoshang festival of Manipur is different.

Ideally, Holi in Manipur is not just playing with colors, it is a festival associated with Yaoshang. This five-day celebration of the Yaoshang festival also displays different cultural and sports performances by the people living there.

In addition, Manipur Holi essentially involves offering specific rituals and prayers in the temples apart from the lively celebrations in the streets and courtyards of the temples and houses.

In short, during Manipur Holi, the entire state comes to life and exciting celebrations with loud drumbeats, rhythms of traditional and folk songs, and the happiness and laughter of people filling the streets. This makes the Yaoshang festival a memorable experience.

Yaoshang Festival: Understanding the Beginning and Implication

The Yaoshang festival of Manipur dates back to ancient times. The celebration follows native tradition with reference to Vaishnavism. This combination adds to the uniqueness of the Yaoshang festival. Devotees visit the renowned Shree Govindajee temple to offer their prayers and rituals to Lord Krishna and seek blessings for wealth and happiness in the year that follows. 

The Unique and Soulful Aspect

Have you heard of ‘Thabal Chongba?’ This is a traditional dance of Manipur that adds a distinct, color, meaning, and excitement to the Manipur Holi celebration. This traditional dance form is considered to be a more effective connecting medium with different people and communities rather than the rich colors and water splashes only.

This unique way of displaying the culture and tradition of Manipur makes the Yaoshang festival so soulful and thrilling. The literal meaning of Thabal Chongba is “moonlight dance.” Men and women form circles holding their hands and dancing to the tunes of the Manipuri folk songs. This exclusive form of social activity makes the bond between people and the community stronger.

Unlike other states, Holi in Manipur is celebrated through music and dance to display harmony.

The Five Joyful Days of Manipur Holi 

• Day 1: Just like Holika Dahan, the Yaoshang celebration in Manipur begins with creating a thatched hut and burning it down to ashes while people sing devotional songs and light lamps, symbolizing the end of evil and the beginning of good days. 
• Day 2: It is time for Thabal Chongba. This moonlight dance is actually performed for the following few nights.
• Day 3: This is the day dedicated to different sports activities like football matches and races. Temple prayers and cultural events are also performed such as folk dances and devotional songs.
• Day 4: This is the day for colors, finally. People throw Gulal in the air and at one another. The unique festivity of this day in Manipur Holi is distinguished by the famous Manipuri delicacy, Chak-Hao Kheer which is a black rice pudding.
• Day 5: This day is reserved for the “Grand Finale.” People visit the temple to end the celebration and Thabal Chongba is performed one last time. Want to dance to the rhythm of Thabal Chongba? Mark the day of Yaoshang 2025 in your calendar, pack your bags, and set foot for Manipur!