Newmai News Network
IMPHAL, MARCH 16
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he five-day long Yaoshang, one of the biggest festivals of the Meitei community began today with festive mood adorning every Meitei mood.
Yaoshang, the festival of colour is celebrated for five days with every age group of Meitei community has their room to enjoy the festivity to the fullest.But Thabal Chongba, meaning ‘dancing in moon-light’ in literal term, is one of the prominent features of the festivity.
After sunset, young boys and girls, mostly the teenagers holding hands dance to the heavy drum-beat and trumpets often till the wee hours. Between two girls is a boy sand-wiching it forming a big circular human chain of about hundred youths. The girls will attire themselves traditionally while the boys have the liberty when comes to the choice of dress. The circular human chain will dance to the drum-beat in a ground in an anti-clock-wise direction. The ground has to be illumunated well. The locals come out in the best of freshness after early dinner to enjoy the Thabal Chongba.
One condition is that no local boy normally join the Thabal Chongba event in his own locality. He goes to other localities to participate. And again, only the local girls normally join the event in their own locality.
Beating up to the mood of Yaoshang festivity is the donations by old people and the kids. They go from house to house asking for alms, just for the sake of celebrating the Yaoshang. Feasting among friends also mark the Yaoshang. Pilgrimage is also an important part of the festival. On the concluding day, Holi is observed with people enjoying the colour smearing.
Meanwhile, Manipur chief minister and others have greeted the people of Manipur on the occasion.
