Talents Emerged In Yaoshang : Euphoric Five Days

Maisnam Chanu Liklainu *

Sporting Events during Yaoshang 2012 in Imphal from 9-11th March 2012 :: Pix - Tiken Thokchom

Waving flags, caps, goggles, t-shirts, wristbands, excitement and glory filled the five days. It was not just the young population but the veterans showcasing their talents. The fans that we were chanted, hooted and waved the club's flag.

We became fanatical and maniacal during this period. Innumerable thoughts were bubbling on my mind that we don't have the best athletic grounds, astro turfs, velodromes, training equipments and so on. Our nutrition level is not something extraordinary to talk about.

There is no proper planning and execution, still our boys and girls shine. There is none to pump in enormous amount into our sports and adopting better sporting standards is not something that will be translated into action soon enough.

However, if we have to pick the best sporting states in India the list would be incomplete without the mention of Manipur. The National Games, the North East Games, several championships both national and international – our players have made their mark and have brought laurels.

It is amazing that this tiny state has introduced new types of competitive sports in other parts of India. Contact sports, sepak takraw and trampoline to name a few hit the soil of Manipur before it became cool in other parts of India.

Yaoshang sporting extravaganza was a motivator after a sluggish start in the New Year. The myriads of sporting events thrilled us for five days. The euphoria which was supposed to be filled with colours was replaced by the sporting spirit.

We did encounter faces smeared with colours but the sporting spirit was too strong to be ignored and it was a welcome sign. Sports bind our people like never before and it was great way to connect with people. I observed that sports in Manipur is the heart and soul of the people. It became a sort of religion and the most passionate watchers of sports in this part of the world were found during the festival.

Different kinds of sports were played, enjoyed and glorified. This is the state where the sportspersons were felicitated and given a rousing welcome. They became instant stars and a huge fan following was guaranteed. If you are into social networking sites, you will find the ever increasing fans of Mary Kom, Renedy and Suranjan. They update the latest developments, the numbers of tournaments and the world tours they will undertake. Their stories are all about winning and losing and they do it gracefully.

We saw it in Meihoubam Lampak and in other clubs; the raw energy, the spontaneous emotion and the camaraderie in this year's just concluded Yaoshang. Meihoubam Lampak celebrated its 35th annual Yaoshang sports. The other clubs are relatively new. Our allegiance to our local club was manifested during the festival.

This year we saw football, chess, athletics and other sports being played with gusto. Marathon generated a huge eager crowd. Veteran males and females on the field doing a football jig attracted a lot of enthusiasm. The little boys and girls were totally involved in their area of interest. They oozed confidence and they were inspirational.

The devotion and intensity reached new heights. The localities were buzzing with activities and the volunteers were proactive. The management skills were quite good. The orators volunteered, they did the needful by displaying their skills and they held the spectators spellbound with their commentaries. They made the five days a treat to watch and their words were pleasant to the ears. No wonder the clubs were packed.

Manipur has a football history. Women's football is big in Manipur. The guys are playing in all the major clubs in India. So, when the local boys and girls thronged the fields to exhibit their talents, it was a different emotion altogether. The passion, the exhilaration and the dedication the matches generated by these boys and girls made us emotionally charged. We were the spectators and we became more of participants.

The reality is that the sporting infrastructure of Manipur is not the best in India. It is craving and begging for attention. Manipur cannot afford to boast of the architectural marvel, grand stadiums, excellent equipments, efficient transportation and quality coaching.

Lack of facilities, lack of funds and support are always a hindrance to tap the potential of the youth. We don't have several departments like physiology, nutrition, psychology to give a much needed fillip to the development of sports in the country.

However, these local sports are the harbinger of the big things to come. Many talented boys and girls were spotted and later groomed in the past. These sporting events should grow better and better. Let these budding talents shine and flourish.

Sports can be the answer to the ills that affect our society. Promoting sports in a big way will do a lot of good by bringing unity and lasting peace. Lasting peace has so far been elusive.

Promoting physical activity, organising local and national sporting events and research in sports should be encouraged. Let the hegemony of our players continue to cheer us.