Manipur's five-day answer to Holi - thabal chongba moonlight dancing, sports, and a valley that refuses to sleep.
Five days from the Lamta full moon - falls in late February or March; dates shift yearly.
Exact dates for the coming year haven't been announced or verified yet — this page will be updated when they are.
Valley-wide; thabal grounds in every leikai (neighbourhood)
Yaoshang begins at the full moon of Lamta (February-March) with the burning of a straw hut, and for five days the valley belongs to children collecting nakatheng, to colour, and above all to thabal chongba - the moonlit circle dance where girls and boys dance hand in hand through the night. Local clubs run sports meets on every field. It is Manipur's biggest Meitei festival and its most joyful week.
Colour play, thabal chongba dances every night (visitors are welcome at many), neighbourhood sports. Some shops shut for the core days.
Around this festival: what the month is like · getting there · where to stay