March 14, 2025: The Yaoshang, the longest 5-day Meitei version of Holi, begins today. The morning saw a large number of people from local clubs thronging to the historic Kangla Fort in the state capital to collect the sacred flames to inaugurate annual local sports competitions during the five-day festival.
During dusk, in many places of the valley districts, the rituals of ‘Yaoshang Mei-Thaba’ were performed with prayers. ‘Yaoshang Mei-Thaba’ refers to the ritual of setting aflame a thatched hut after sunset, performing puja to the Hindu God Lord ‘Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’ after his idol is removed from the thatched hut. Devotees chant ‘He Hari’ and ‘Hari Bola’ as the hut is set ablaze. The ceremonial hut is burned in every locality as a yearly reminder of the greatness of Lord Vishnu’s avatar who defeated evil. The ash from the burnt hut is considered extremely auspicious. It is collected and smeared on the foreheads of devotees, as well as at the entrances of houses.
The most loved part of the festival is ‘Nakathen’ by young kids, where many young kids dressed in traditional attire visit their neighbors’ houses to collect festive lucky money.
The second day of Yaoshang is celebrated as Pichkari, the day Holi is played with colors at the Shree Shree Govindaji Temple and the Shree Shree Bijoy Govindaji Temple. Pichkari is of utmost importance for the Sankirtan Band – if they miss performing on this day, they are not allowed to perform in other residences. They sing devotional hymns, accompanied by musical instruments such as the dholak, cymbals, and sea shells.
Another religious and ritual attraction in the Govindajee Temple includes ‘Brajamai’ on Pichkari day and the Brajamai Procession for ‘Halankar’ on the last day. It’s a procession of young women, called the Brajamai, that sets out from the Bijoy Govinda Temple to Shri Shri Govindaji Temple to perform the closing ceremony, Halankar, on the last day of the festivities.
Local sports events are being organized by every local club during the 5-day-long festival.
