Welcoming the Spring
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: March 27, 2013 -

When winter comes, can spring be far behind? After the harsh chilly winter, it is that time of the year again when the hearts of everyone, young and old alike, are filled with an unexplained feeling of joy and contentment.

And why should they be? The cold winter has gone and the earth is becoming warmer with every bush and bower bursting into a riot of colours to herald the arrival of spring, the king of all seasons.

Spring is the season for renewal or rebirth that everyone long for.

With this all pervasive rejuvenating spirit of spring in the air now, can anyone remain quiet within the warm confined of their houses, howsoever, cosy they might be? Definitely not.

That is the reason why arrival of spring is being celebrated around the world in one form or the other.

In Manipur too, everyone is ready to welcome spring with a five-day long Yaoshang festivities beginning from the full-moon of Lamta, which falls on March 27.

Heavy rush in Khwairamband Bazar at Imphal where people from every nook and cranny of the State come down for the last minute shopping spree, troops of young women blocking the roads at different parts to ask donation from passersby for organizing Thabalchongba programmes days ahead of the celebration and the hectic activities of various Holi Pala groups rehearsing for their performances during the five-day long festival, all these stand testimony to popularity of Yaoshang in Manipur.

Yaoshang is one such festival which offers something for everyone in all age groups.

If young children await Yaoshang for the Nakatheng and the Cheng-Chak Niba, adolescent boys and girls look forward to the Thabalchongba programmes to dance away the night in glory while the older men and women participate in Holi Pala performances at Shri Shri Govindajee Temple as well as at the houses of Ministers and officers.

In fact, even if Yaoshang is said to be a five-day-long festival, the celebration went on with different groups of people organizing feasting and inviting Shumang Leela groups for entertainment programmes.

So, the huge expenses involved in the celebration of Yaoshang, the number of working days lost and the energy of the youths wasted in the process have come under the scrutiny, and this has led to emergence of sports and games as an added attraction to the celebration of Yaoshang in Manipur to channelize the energy of the people, particularly the youths and the children, which, of course, is appreciable.

On the other hand, questions have been raised over the shut-down of media houses during the celebration.

This means that newspapers have to remain out of print for five days and people would have no access to information about the events taking place in different parts of the State, which we understand is unfair, and some might argue that it amounts to deprivation of rights to information of the people.

However, this is something beyond the control of the media houses in a place where everyone believes in enjoying the spring festival to the fullest.

There have been cases in the past when no one came to collect the printed newspapers for distribution among the people when media houses in Manipur cut short the holidays.

Like the introduction of sports to become a part of the celebration, perhaps, it's high time for another round of reformation movement to shorten Yaoshang festival without compromising on the spirit of welcoming the Spring season, which, of course, is universal.

Anyway, Happy Yaoshang to all.