Yaoshang: A Fun-tastic Festival for All and Sundry!

“There are no lines in nature, only areas of colour, one against another.”
—Edouard Manet

It is that time of the year when Mother Nature puts on her best attire and showers her blessings around us.

Birds start singing happy songs of Yeningtha; meanwhile heiyai and chorpon ripen to dance on a plate with thoom, morok, thoiding and beson. With Mr. Summer queuing up near the seasonal door seeking admission for the next term, Yeningtha also marks the arrival of the most awaited festival of the year—Yaoshang.

The festival which is usually celebrated for five days mean unlimited fun and frolicking with friends and family relishing yummylicious achapot and dishes; and not to forget, the numberless hues and shades of colours in the air.

Manipur Masala presents ‘Yaoshang: A Fun-tastic festival for all and sundry!’

The origin of this festival is quite controversial. Nevertheless, it would not be fallacious to state that the varied versions about the origin of Yaoshang are as colourful as the festival itself.

The Hindunised version of Yaoshang marks the celebration of the birthday of Chaitanya Gouranga. As per the chronicles of Vaishnavism, it was on the purnima of Phalgun month that Chaitanya was born on the bank of the Ganga in Bengal. Phalgun month, which is the last month in the lunar almanac, in the Meitei belief, is Lamta.

In the Meiteinised version, Yaoshang marks the celebration of the birth of Nongda Lairen Pakhangba who was born at Kangla on the full moon of Lamta to Leimaren and Salailen Sidaba. Laimaren, on the birth day of Lord Pakhangba, had to stay at the Ya-wol-sung. The name ‘Yaoshang’, as per the Meitei belief, is thus a shortened form of the original ‘Ya-Wol-Sung’.

A bunch of charu-tied bamboo was burnt to announce the world about the birth of Lord Pakhangba at Kangla. And on the fifth day after the birth of Pakhangba, all the Gods went to Khwai Keithel to buy gifts to Salailen to congratulate him for his new mapari. ‘Lai Keithel Kaaba’ thus had its origin from that day.

Incidentally, the resulting product of these several terms, right from Chaitanya to Kiethel is covert intolerance in contemporary Manipur. We cannot deny there is a great sense of going back to our roots, which can be read as harsh criticism of anything that is related to the Hindu faith. But it is for the people to decide whether it is helping us or not. Maybe we can talk about it further on another fine Sunday.

Back again, my knowledge on the origin of Yaoshang may be limited. But my understanding is definitely not. Alright, let Yaoshang be a celebration of anyone’s birthday. What does that change? Should the old or new found knowledge mar the spirit of the festival? Should it rob our memory bank about the fun we had when we were kids? Should it stop our kids from having their share of fun at present? I doubt so. For a religious atheist like me, celebrating a festival should not be associated with any religious connotations. I am a Meitei by birth but I prefer not to associate myself with any ‘ism’ which would compel me to think like a ‘frog in a well’.

Well, earlier during our bubok and edhou’s time, Yaoshang meant simple celebrations during which cheng-insaang khainaduna chaak chanaba and thabal chongba at a sumaang or leikai lampak were the major attractions. The celebration of the festival has been transforming over the decades.

For the last three–four decades Yaoshang has been synonymous to five frolicking days of unlimited fun with friends and families. Sports and various entertainment programs are organized at the leikaigi club to commemorate Yaoshang for all these years.

With or without the sports, the festival, which is meant for all and sundry, is celebrated with a jovial spirit sans any bullshit that we come across in our day to day life. Yaoshang fever infects the rich and the poor.

Well, it’s time to take leave from our professional chores and catch up with friends and relatives whom we usually cannot catch up during the rest of the year. Let this Yaoshang be a flamboyant celebration for everyone. Wishing all of you a very happy, colourful and fun-tastic Yaoshang.

PS: Registration open for the various events and items on the next five days of Yaoshang celebration.

This article was published on 16 March 2014.

An Odd Ode to a Few Innocent Memories

Knowledge has its own pros and cons. Meanwhile ignorance is bliss. Ignorance and innocence, in my view, are almost synonymous. An ignorant fellow is unlikely to be found guilty on many aspects and hence his innocence remains intact.

At times, I do wish to be ignorant about many social, political and historical aspects about our society. What seemed so picture perfect in the past somehow becomes a reason for introspection at present. This introspection has many side effects. To relate a simple example, the ongoing festive season leaves many deliberations open on my mind.

When we were kids, Puja vacation was one of the most awaited breaks from school. We used to contribute our pocket money to adorn the Dol for Goddess Durga. We would also spend our last rupee buying bamboola of all sorts — Alu bomb, Kabok chaibi, Rocket paibi, Uru-ru ungbi and others. And on the Bali day (the third day of the celebration), we would relish a sumptuous curry together.

As for Wangkheilites, Durga Puja means one such festival that lasts for five days. Besides the worshipping part of the Goddess, Puja vacation also means five days of merry-making. Leela, cassette dance, tambola games etc. are events exclusively meant for late evenings. The best part is however the series of live Shumaang Leela played by as many parties.

We would rush to Puja Lampak with moraah in our hand eager enough to watch the plays. Everything seemed quite picture perfect then. We grew up with many memorable celebrations of Durga Puja and of many other festivals. I have missed this vacation for quite a long time and was eagerly looking forward to it until reality intervenes.

Here’s the part of my absence, where I would particularly prefer to be ignorant and innocent. It’s more or less like a transition of a colour television to a black-and-white set. What was once so flamboyant suddenly seems so unoriginal and plain now.

This mindset, regarding the change of heart, is perhaps because of a few results related to our history and origin. It’s like an absurd discovery — something one had never expected about but is accurately true. It would perhaps be not fallacious to state that we are standing at the threshold of an age of awakening ready to step out from the confused era. Once we step in, we have to pay odd odes to many flamboyant memories of those innocent days. And if we don’t, we are prone to become more restless and frustrated by our own choice and action in the near future.

We can never withstand the fact that we would be called the mindless generation without any root if we do not make this move now. And if we do, we are equally aware of what we are going to lose forever. The recoil has however many ill effects than demolishing a few memories. If things are meant to change in the future, this is perhaps the transitional phase. And if they are not meant to, everything will be the same as before. We will live with a false identity, follow a faith that we were forcibly lured to.

I do not abhor any particular religion. What I cannot digest is how we were forced to follow a faith that was never ours. I do not question the spirit of secularism but I have questions a many for abolishing an already established faith and culture that we once had. Perhaps one can say that colonialism found its new meanings then with religion as one of the easiest tools. We have been the dumb, moronic and mute spectators for all these decades. And when the age of awakening finally comes we find it tough to bid adieu to many precious memories and habits. Baah! What an absurd confusion indeed!

This article was published on 21 Oct 2012

The Yaoshang Diary 2012

By the dusk of Lamtagi purnima, kids at every Leikai of Manipur, especially in the valley, eagerly wait for the Yaoshang hut to be burnt down. For no other reason but that instantly they can start visiting each and every house in their Leikai for nakadeng. The festive spirit of Yaoshang kick starts right on the purnima day of Lamta and the fest extends over five days.

A festival of colours, a perfect time to reunite with friends, families and relatives to indulge only in merrymaking, Yaoshang is one such festival that is celebrated with great pomp and show in our state. A much anticipated vacation for me, I enjoyed one of the best Yaoshang celebrations at my hometown with friends, family and relatives in high spirit. The norm of celebrating Yaoshang hasn’t changed much in all these years and it has gladdened my heart for many a reason.

The nakadeng culture, going on unabated, ensures the spirit of Yaoshang is alive and kicking. Children have been enjoying full-fledged liberty to ask money from anyone they come across at the street, anyone at the leikai lampak or anyone at the locality. This is a tradition that has been kept alive for all these years. I was quite elated to see so many kids loitering in the streets dressed in colourful joipur and fanek with sengaos in their hands (especially the girls).

Another top menu of Yaoshang especially among elders is a sumptuous feast. The very time of the year when one gets a continuous five days break from work, the laid-back feeling is too blatant. The festival is also one great excuse for an annual reunion and catching up with friends. And how delightful these treats are—when these are added with a delectable meal and a hard day’s laugh over funny narration of our lives, backwards and forward.

A cheerful festival, it is indeed fun to be with long lost friends and it is a great way to socialise during Yaoshang, forget Facebook. The best part is that one doesn’t need to bother about any hectic professional chore. One can simply relax, chill out and have as much fun without bothering a bit about a team meeting or worrying about any deadline.

From relishing singju, bora and keli chana with friends to enjoying late-night movies that are screened at the leikai lampak and from loitering all across Imphal, wearing colourful moirang feejin chanba fanek to watching the interesting Yaoshang events, we are spoilt for choice during this festival.

Yaoshang is a festival for all and sundry. So it has something to offer for everyone irrespective of ages or genders. In some localities, we can see men in their 70s actively taking part in football matches while in some others, it is fun to watch kids, grouped age-wise under 13, under 12 and under 10 enthusiastically taking part in a football match with a team from other leikai. Their excitement is commendable. Soccer fans would better understand what I am trying to imply here.

Borakhao lamjel, spoon and marble race, blind hit, pafor chabi, chaak thonglaga chaaba haanbi taanabi, King/ Queen Desire, Fashion show, cassette dance, fancy dress competition etc. are some fun filled sports and events especially held by the local clubs during the festival.

For kids, it is needless to mention that their happiness knows no bound during this very festival as they are licensed to be notorious for five days. They play with colours, run after one another with pichkaris in their hands and have as much fun that they can afford.

From age-olds to kids, everyone seems free spirited during this festival. People take a leisurely break and indulge only in those events that make them happy. Young and old, men and women took an ideal break and come together to indulge in various Yaoshang centric events held at their respective leikai lampak.

The festival also marks the annual come back of some eateries. Eateries such as gulla macha, pafor, boiled eggs etc. have been particularised as the very achapot for Yaoshang. With due regard to those cabbage farmers in Manipur, I must not forget to mention kobi saag which is a special dish cooked in every Manipuri home during Yaoshang. I still cannot define the connection between Yaoshang and kobi saag. Every Yaoshang, every Manipuri home finds it a norm to cook kobi saag. Maybe it is the seasonal availability of the vegetable and that is how it is closely associated and in fact considered a small piece of Yaoshang celebration. Hawai mubi (ariba), Yongchaak overcoat litpa, hayai, chorfon, heirit etc. are some more vegetables and fruits that are in during this festival.

If it is all about enjoying a fabulous time with friends over a plate of bora or kaanghou, Yaoshang is one such jovial festival during which one can have a good time. Yaoshang festival 2012 bid adieu with colourful memories imprinted in our hearts. We should have more of this festival. Till next Yaoshang, let us cherish the vivid memories of this fiesta.

This article was published on 18 March 2012