Yaoshang : What is your agenda during the festival ?

Seram Neken *

Sports activities at Yaoshang festival 2014 on 17 March 2014 :: Pix - Deepak Oinam

I wish a constructive and creative Yoashang Festival to all the readers of Hueiyen Lanpao.

Introduction:

As time goes by, 'Yaoshang' changes its facets year after year, decades after decades and centuries after centuries. To the present generation, 'Yaoshang' is synonymous with games and sports. It is indeed a mini Olympiad particularly in the valley districts of Manipur. All the ugly scenes and traditions of earlier 'Yaoshang' have been subdued to bring in constructive sports festivals in almost all Manipuri localities.

Various games including indigenous events such as Mukna and Laphu Kabee are seen to be popular during Yaoshang sports. Apart from sporting programmes; academic events like debating competitions, Ex-tempore speech, symposium competitions, Essay writing, song competitions, mathematics competitions, recitations etc. are organized in the interests of students. 'Yaoshang' has today become a festival of sports in Manipur.

To the children:

Dear children, 'Yaoshang' is a great opportunity for you to expose your latent talents as it is synonymous with sports all around. Try to reap it at the maximum. Learn how to socialize with your friends, elders and the community as a whole. Join the sporting competitions, literary events, cultural programmes as much as you can.

Try to taste the stage performance by way of participating in a variety of cultural shows. Build your personality through joining debating competitions, ex-tempore speech, recitations etc. Activate yourself via the arithmetic and intelligence tests. Yaoshang sports is the only festival which offers a variety of disciplines, themes and aspects of a good life.

It is a nice platform where meet your friends and elders. Learn to talk and socialize yourself with the people around. Build you're a good image of yourself and form a character to the liking of the people around. Don't hesitate to address and greet others properly. Manipuris are generally behind others in addressing and applauding people. "Good Morning, Good evening, Thank You, Sorry, May I help you" are the most rarely used words for the Manipuris. Learn to use them wherever possible. If you do not participate, you wont reap the benefits. Unless you act, you will not improve.

To the Adults:

Working people who have been engaged in routine activities need time to relax and recreate themselves in a positive way. To them, 'Yaoshang sports' serves as a good platform to be a little away from the monotony of life. You will see your sons, daughters and wards dancing, singing, acting and playing during Yaoshang sports festival.

It is the real quality time for you. You will be with your friends- talking, amusing and mingling for five days in a constructive fashion. It is also a great opportunity to know who's who of your locality.

You will be delighted when one of your friend's son addresses you with a respectful 'Pabung'. Adult members of the locality, besides taking part in various sports events, may also participate in organizing Yaoshang Sports festival in the locality. You can improve your dealings with the public. You can develop organizational skills inherent in you.

Housewives who find a hectic time in managing families and children will have a five-day relaxation during Yaoshang festival. Apart from all types of festivities, Shumang Lila is much sought-after edutainment for all ages and all standards of people. For the innocent housewives, Yaoshang sport is the only event that brings Shumang Lila to their front.

To the elders:

Various competitions for the aged people are also arranged at Sports during Yaoshang festivals in Manipur. Right from the walking race to the Statue dance competitions, from cooking race to blind hit, there is no dearth of amusing events for the elders. Participating in the Yaoshang sports festival will be a mantra for extending the longevity of their lives.

The impending generation gap between the younger and older population will get minimized with the Yaoshang sports festival. It is a meaningful platform for the ageing people. For the elders who are at the dusk of their lives, 'Yaoshang' serves as a valuable recreation item by breaking the monotony of ageing life.

Conclusion:

Yaoshang sports festival can rightly be described as a Mini-Olympics scattered throughout the length and breath of Manipur particularly in the valley districts. Yaoshang sport has produced and will be producing reputed sports stars, renowned debaters and famous parliamentarians from each and every locality. An intellectual transformation from festival of colors to festival of sports has been occurring in modern Manipur during the last five decades.

Yaoshang Sports has become an institution of socialization with multifaceted benefits. It serves as a school for cultivating personality development and hunting young talents. It inculcates discipline among youths. Besides recreating the ageing people, it promotes organizational skills among the locals, increases social cohesion and reduces crimes & unwanted behavior in society.

Every locality must endeavor to tap the inherent potential of Yaoshang Sports in the making of a strong Manipur. It is a meaningful rendezvous where local people of all ages meet, interact, share, exchange views and ideas among themselves. It helps in reducing unwanted behavior, crimes, substance abuse and drugs.

May the Yaoshang Sports festivals continue to play its constructive role in the making of a unified and strong Manipur.