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Yaoshang: Manipur's five-day Holi of moonlight dancing
Hands joined in a slow ring dance under the full moon of spring
Yaoshang is Manipur's spring festival and, by the state tourism department's account, its premier one: five days from the full moon of Lamta, the Meitei month that falls in February–March, the same full moon as Holi. It opens at sunset with the burning of a straw hut, the days bring colour, water and neighbourhood sports, and every night young men and women dance Thabal Chongba, a slow ring dance under the moon. Next dates: 22–26 March 2027. Before planning a trip, read the travel advice below: the UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to Manipur.
The Manipur government's holiday notification, usually published late in the previous year, fixes the days; locality committees announce their sports and programmes in the week before.
The legend
Yaoshang is an indigenous Meitei festival: five spring days from the full moon of the month of Lamta. In Manipur it is held to be the year's main festival.
It opens at sunset with the Yaoshang Mei Thaba, the burning of a straw hut, and children go from house to house collecting nakatheng coins.
On the second day local bands sing sankirtan at the Govindaji temple in Imphal: Yaoshang reaches far beyond the colours of Holi.
Customs
Thabal Chongba
Every night young men and women join hands and move in a slow circle under the moon: the dance in the moonlight.
A rope across the road
On the second and third days girls stretch ropes across the roads and ask passers-by for a nakatheng coin.
Water and sport
In the last days people splash water on one another, and neighbourhoods hold sports meets: tug of war, football, athletics.
Where to celebrate
Imphal
Manipur's five-day Holi: a thatched hut burnt at dusk on the full moon, colour and neighbourhood sports by day, and every night the slow Thabal Chongba ring dance on the leikai grounds.
How the five days run
Yaoshang is an indigenous festival of the Meitei people, and it reaches well beyond the colours of Holi.
- Full-moon evening: the hut burns
Just after sunset on the Lamta full moon every locality burns a temporary straw hut, the Yaoshang Mei Thaba. Children then go from house to house collecting nakatheng, small coins given as a festival offering.
- Second day: sankirtan at Govindajee
Local groups sing sankirtan, devotional songs, at the Shri Shri Govindajee Temple in Imphal, and temple rites continue through the festival, including the Brajamai observance by women in white.
- Second and third days: a rope across the road
Girls stretch ropes across the roads and ask passers-by, relatives first, for a nakatheng coin before letting them through.
- Fourth and fifth days: water and sport
People splash water on one another, and neighbourhood clubs hold sports meets: tug of war, football, even traditional mukna wrestling. The torch that opens the meets is carried out from Kangla Fort in Imphal on the first day.
Thabal Chongba, the dance in the moonlight
Thabal Chongba means "dancing in the moonlight". Every night of the festival, from mid-evening until late, young men and women hold hands and move in a slow circle on the leikai (neighbourhood) grounds across the Imphal valley, each ground with its own band. It is one of the few courtship dances in India still danced by the people it belongs to rather than by a troupe. Some localities turn it into a competition; Brahmapur in Imphal has run a large one.
The grounds are public, so it is fine to watch from the edge of the ring. Ask before joining in or taking close portraits: a local host or guide makes the difference between watching from the road and being invited into the circle.
Travel advice for Manipur
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) advises against all but essential travel to the state of Manipur, including the capital, Imphal, because of ethnic violence that began in May 2023. Its advice notes that there may be curfews and other restrictions, transport disruption and the suspension of internet services at short notice in some parts of the state, and that some insurgent groups are active in north-east India, including Manipur.
If you do travel, the FCDO's advice is to avoid protests and large gatherings, follow the advice of the local authorities and your travel company, monitor local media and obey any curfew. Check the current FCDO page, and your own government's advice, close to departure: the situation and the advice can change.
Permits and getting there
Manipur controls entry for visitors from outside the state, and the rules differ for Indian and foreign nationals.
- Indian nationals: Inner Line Permit — Required for visitors who are not residents of Manipur. The temporary permit for tourists is valid for 30 days and costs approximately ₹100; apply on the state's Manipur ILP portal or at the self-service kiosks at Imphal airport and at the Mao and Jiribam entry gates.
- Foreign nationals: check permit rules first — Rules for foreign visitors to Manipur have changed more than once, and no current official page on them is published by the state or the Ministry of Home Affairs. The FCDO says special permits are needed for India's restricted and protected areas, advises applying three months before arrival, through an Indian mission abroad or, in India, the state's liaison office or the FRRO, and notes that permit rules can change at any time. Confirm with an Indian mission or the Bureau of Immigration before booking.
- By air — Imphal is reached by air; the railway stops at Jiribam, about 220 km away. Yaoshang falls in Holi week, when travel across India is busiest: book flights early and a room about three weeks ahead.
- Arrive the day before — Be in Imphal by the full-moon evening to see the hut burnt and the first night of Thabal Chongba; the middle nights are the fullest.
FAQ
Is Yaoshang a festival celebrated in Manipur?
Yes. Yaoshang is the Meitei spring festival of Manipur, held for five days from the Lamta full moon, and the state tourism department calls it the premier festival of Manipur.
What is Holi called in Manipur?
Yaoshang (also spelt Yaosang). It falls on the same full moon as Holi but lasts five days and adds the hut burning, Thabal Chongba and sports meets.
When is Yaoshang?
Next dates: 22–26 March 2027. The days follow the Lamta full moon and are fixed in the Manipur government's holiday notification, usually published late in the previous year.
What is Thabal Chongba?
A Meitei ring dance, "dancing in the moonlight": young men and women hold hands and move in a slow circle on neighbourhood grounds every night of Yaoshang.
Is it safe to travel to Manipur for Yaoshang?
The UK FCDO advises against all but essential travel to Manipur, including Imphal, citing ethnic violence since May 2023, possible curfews and internet suspensions. Check the current advice before deciding.
Do foreigners need a permit for Manipur?
Check before you book: permit rules for foreigners in Manipur have changed more than once, so confirm them with an Indian mission or the Bureau of Immigration, and apply three months ahead as the FCDO advises. Indian nationals from outside the state need an Inner Line Permit.
Sources (7)
Facts checked: 21 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.