Imphal, March 07: It might be hard to contradict that the culture of organising sports meets during the five-day long Yaoshang (Holi) in the State has given some impetus to Manipur's glory in the sporting arena.

With the beginning of Yaoshang on Saturday, sports meets were organised in each and every localities across the length and breadth of the valley districts.

The core idea of organising these sports festivals during Yaoshang is to refrain youngsters from indulging in drugs and to encourage sports culture, said Yambem Biren, a key organizer of a sports festival in Imphal east.

"This is our 21st such sports festival and till date we have successfully conducting sporting competitions in various disciplines athletics, football, table tennis etc, besides a host of entertainment items like musical chair, blind pot hit, in and out, fancy dress,'' Biren said .

The entertainments items are participated by girls, married women and elders, he added.

This is truly a launching pad for a number of young sports enthusiasts particularly the children in sporting career, Biren said, adding "Manipur's glory in sports could be a result of the holding of such festivals over the last three decades''.

Owing to the wide spread holding of sports festival, the organisers had to occupy half of the road space in the city heart and outskirts at certain points like Nagamapal, Keishampat, Uripok, Bamon Leikai, Wangkhei , Singjamei, etc.

The highlight of the first day Yaoshang sports meet include torch rally after lighting the torch from the sacred fire of historic Kangla fort.

Hundreds of local sports organisers from across the twin capital districts thronged the Kangla fort to light the torch.

Tomba Sharma, father of three children at Imphal said "My kids are very enthusiastic in joining Yaoshang sports festival.

They don't asked money to buy colours and water pistols.

I hope I would groom them to become great sports stars and I am gratitude to the organisers".

The five day long festival, however, saw two different aspects.

During the day time the whole State remained engrossed in sports activities while in the night the youths enjoy Thabal Chongba � a typical Manipuri folk dance where boys and girls joined hands and dance to the tune of the drum, sexaphone and flute mixed music.

Though the festival is largely dominated by the sporting activities, the traditional charm of Yaoshang is all pervasive, if not on such large scale like in the days of yore.

The festival began with the typical burning of Yaoshang (a small thatch hut) in the evening followed by Nakatheng, a traditional house to house monetary donation by children and smearing of colours on each other.

The Vaishnavite elders also performed Holi song and dance at Shri Govindajee temple and at some select houses.

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