Plan your trip · Imphal
What's on in Imphal
Upcoming festivals, fairs and events in Imphal — plan your visit around them, then check the best time to visit.
Nothing dated is confirmed for Imphal right now, so here is the year instead — the fixtures that come round annually, and what each one means for a visit.
The year in Imphal
Imphal packs most of its outdoor calendar into the cooler months; the pre-monsoon peak is hot enough that daytime processions are genuinely hard going. Broadly, Oct – Mar is when visiting is most comfortable here, and that is when the calendar is busiest — which also means accommodation is most expensive and books furthest ahead.
Most of these follow lunar calendars and move by weeks from year to year, so treat the windows below as the season rather than the date, and confirm the year’s dates before you book around one.
Signature to Imphal
Sangai Festival
🗓️ NovemberTen days of Manipuri dance, martial arts and food, named for the brow-antlered deer found only here.
Planning: Check current advisories for the state before planning travel.
Nationwide
Diwali
🗓️ October–NovemberThe biggest holiday of the year — lamps, sweets, fireworks and a week of visiting family. Cities are lit up and markets stay open late.
Holi
🗓️ MarchColoured powder and water, thrown at anyone within reach, mostly through the morning.
Navratri and Dussehra
🗓️ September–OctoberNine nights of fasting, music and dance, ending with Dussehra. What it looks like changes completely by region — garba in Gujarat, pandals in Bengal, processions in the south.
Eid al-Fitr
🗓️ shifts ~11 days earlier each yearThe end of Ramadan. The old quarters of Delhi, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Bhopal are at their best in the evenings through the preceding month, when food streets run past midnight.
Makar Sankranti and Pongal
🗓️ mid-JanuaryThe harvest turn, marked with kites in the west and north and four days of Pongal in Tamil Nadu.
Imphal's calendar mixes Meitei traditions with Vaishnav festivals. In spring, Yaoshang fills five days around the Holi full moon with sports, music and the thabal chongba folk dance. In summer, the Kang (Rath Yatra) chariots come out, and in autumn and winter the Govindajee Temple hosts Raas nights, while families celebrate Ningol Chakouba, when married daughters return home for a feast. Lai Haraoba, the festival of the traditional Meitei gods, is held at shrines across the valley.
The Sangai Festival, named after the state animal, has been Manipur's biggest tourism event, usually held in November. It has been disrupted or scaled back in some years since the unrest began in 2023, so check whether it is going ahead before you plan around it. Most other festivals follow the lunar calendar, so their dates move each year.
Tips for Attending Events & Festivals in Imphal
- Confirm festival dates for the year, as most follow the lunar calendar.
- Check current advisories before travelling, as events can be cancelled or changed at short notice.
- Book flights and rooms early for the Sangai Festival and Yaoshang.
- Dress modestly for Raas nights and temple festivals.
- Ask before photographing performers and worshippers.
- Arrive early for Raas performances to get a good place to sit.
- Keep your belongings secure in crowded places.
Questions
Imphal — FAQ
What are the main festivals in Imphal?
The main festivals are Yaoshang in spring, Kang (Rath Yatra) in summer, Raas nights at the Govindajee Temple, Ningol Chakouba in autumn, Lai Haraoba and the Sangai Festival, which is usually held in November.
Is the Sangai Festival still held?
The Sangai Festival has been held in many recent years, including a ten-day edition in late November 2025, but it has been disrupted or scaled back since 2023 and some groups have boycotted it. Check the official announcement for the year before you book.
What is Yaoshang?
Yaoshang is Manipur's five-day spring festival, starting on the full moon of the Meitei month of Lamta, usually in late February or March. It includes colour play, sports, sankirtan singing and the thabal chongba dance, often held at night.
When can I see Manipuri Raas dance?
Raas is traditionally performed at the Govindajee Temple on full-moon nights such as Kartik Purnima and Basanta Purnima. You may also see Manipuri dance at cultural programmes during festivals.