Yaoshang

The premier Meitei festival combining colour play with indigenous sports and the midnight Thabal Chongba circle dance.

Yaoshang welcomes spring and spreads joy across Meitei society; since the coming of Vaishnavism it has also merged with Holi and the sankirtan tradition of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

The festival opens with the burning of a small thatched hut (the yaoshang). Children go door to door collecting nakatheng (small gifts of money), nights bring the Thabal Chongba moonlight dance, and the days host large sports meets.

On the first evening, prayers are offered by the river and the hut is set alight, its ash applied to the forehead. Every neighbourhood then hosts a five-day sports meet.

The flames of the yaoshang hut are believed to burn away the village's misfortunes, while the Thabal Chongba dance traditionally gives young men and women a chance to meet their future partners.

An ancient Meitei festival that took its present form in the 18th century under King Gharib Niwaj, when Vaishnavism brought the colours of Holi and Krishna kirtan into the celebration.

Manipur's Holi, five days from the full moon of Phalguna. The part that matters is Thabal Chongba — at night, in the moonlight, young people form a circle holding hands and dance to a live band while the whole neighbourhood turns out. Daytimes are local sports meets.