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“Yaoshang sports meet provides a good platform for mapping young talented sportspersons in Manipur. But it does not mean that this platform will make them a world class sportsperson.
“It is true that we can identify the true potential of youths in the field of sports during the Yaoshang sports meet. This will bring the young people in the right direction of the society,” Bharat told Eastern Mirror.
People in the state, mostly Hindus, celebrate the five-day festival of colours, locally known as Yaoshang, by setting up traditional Yaoshang, a hut made of straw and bamboo, from March 7 to 11th.
Sharing a similar sentiment, Manipur’s football coach Gift Raikhan said, “Domestic sports can be stepping stones for making world class sportspersons.”
The highlight of the Yaoshang festival, which usually begins on full moon day of the Meitei Lunar month of Lamta (February-March) and celebrated mostly in the valley area by the Meiteis, is a collection of donations from households by pre-puberty young boys and girls dressed in their finery, playing with colours and water.
Community feasting, playing of Holi and holding of games and sports at every locality are the main activities during the Yaoshang festival in Manipur.
Read: Yaoshang festival begins in Manipur
The main highlight of the festival includes the Thabal Chongba, a traditional Manipuri folk dance where boys and girls hold hands, sing and dance in a circle.
However, during this festival, almost all the local clubs organise annual sports meets in their respective leikais or villages for the localities.
Local clubs such as the Dharmalaya Social Welfare Centre Bramhapur Nahabam in Imphal East district organised the 76th edition of their annual sports meet at basketball ground this time.
On how Yaoshang sports meet can help in producing sportspersons, Olympic silver medallist Saikhom Mirabai Chanu’s coach and former Indian weightlifter Anita Chanu said ‘there is a possibility’.
On the other hand, popular judo coach M Deben said this culture will set a good atmosphere and environment for sports in the state.
According to general secretary of All Manipur Bodybuilders’ Association, Y Sunanta, such sports meets during festivals can indirectly help in making world class sportspersons in Manipur as a motivational and grassroots development programme.
Sports meet during the festival is both recreational and entertainment, he said. Imphal, March 11 (EMN)