With yaosang around let me give some of my writing here. These are from my poor knowledge and knowledgeable persons in this forum may please forgive me if my presentation is wrong.
The yaosang which we all have see now is represented as if we are celebrating the birthday of Chaitanya Gouranga.
It was on the purnima of Falguna month that Chaitanya was born on the bank of Ganga in Bengal. Falguna month is the last month and equivalent month in Meitei is Lamda.
On this day a small hut is made and an image of Lord Gopal Dev is kept and after a ritualistic Aarti the hut is burnt. Then the Holi pala starts in which each leikai heads towards Sri Sri Govindajee Mandop. We all have seen a Holi pala on road sides heading towards Konung and making a performance.
On the 5th day of the festival a massive pala starts from Sri Sri Govindajee Madop and heads towards sri bijaya govinda at Sagolband Mantri Leikai. This procession is known as Sri Govindajee Halankar.
This 5th day marks the end of Yaosang festival with a ceremonial procession of Lakhi Keithel Kaba in which it is celebrated as Goddess Lashmi heads towards Khwairamband Keithei.
Prior to the advent of Hinduism, the day was also celebrated on different ground. It was on this day that Pakhangba was borne at Kangla to Leimaren and Salailen sidaba. On the day of the birth, 'leimaren' had to stay at "yaol-sang", Hence the name yaosang came down as a corrupted form of Yaolsang. On this day a bunch of hay(charu) was tied on a bamboo and burnt atop making known to the whole land that a small kid is borne at kangla to our chief: Salailen. On the 5th day after the birth most of the Lai went to Khwai Keithel to buy gifts and present to Salailen. Thus the day was Lai keithel kaba.
Apart from the mythological celebration it was on the Thanil ( fullmoon ) of lamta , that Louremba Khongnangthaba was borne.
What ever is the origin, 'Ougri hangen chongba sakpa' was done during these days and still now it is done ad Thabal Chongba under different headings and connotations.
One of the 'ougri' reads as :
Ke ke ke Mo Mo ,
Yangen samba khwau khaau,
Tokpaga kambaga
Keiga yenga.
Yenkhong fatte chasillu
Lai gi yen ni chafade
Ke ke ke momo.
Coming to the modern age: sports has taken the place of yaosang and different events and items.
Regards,
Khumancha Meiraba.
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