Manipur is a land of festivities, merriment's and mirth's all the year round. A year in Manipur Presents a cycle of festivals. Hardly a month passes without a festival or two. To the manipuris, festivals are the symbols of their cultural, social and religious aspirations which, besides removing the monotony of life by providing physical diversions, mental recreation and emotional outlet, help them lead a better and fuller life. Manipur, surrounded by Nagaland, Mizoram, Assam and Mynamar, has Imphal as its capital. As it is a sensitive border area, Tourists who want to travel to Manipur require a Restricted Area Permit, which is valid for 10 days. Agriculture is the single largest source of livelihood, for a majority of the rural masses, and the state economy also depends on it. Industry in Manipur is not very well developed. However, the state is striving towards industrialization, with the setting up of many large and small-scale industrial units. The main industries of Manipur are pharmaceuticals, steel re-rolling, plywood, bamboo chipping, cement, vanaspati and electronics and the service sector comprises of Real estate, Consultancies, Travel and Tourism, Hotel Industry and Insurance. Ningol Chakouba - the social festival of Manipuries - It is a remarkable social festival of the Meiteis. Married women of the family who were married to distant places come to the parental house along with her children and enjoy sumptuous feast. It is a form of family rejoinder to revive familial affection. The festival is also observed by the Pangals (Manipuri Muslims) to a certain extent now-a-days. It is observed on the second day of the new moon in the Manipuri month of Hiyangei (November). Yaosang is a festival celebrated in Manipur for six days in spring, starting on the full moon day of the month of Lamda (February-March). Yaosang combines Hindu and indigenous traditions.The Thabal Chongba - a kind of Manipuri folk dance, where boys and girls hold hands and sing and dance in a circle, is particularly associated with this festival. Boys and girls and old women collect donations from house to house and the money so collected is spent in a number of parties and feast. Indeed, Yaosang to Manipur is what Durga Puja is to Bengal, Diwali in north India and Bihu to Assam.
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