Manipur, March 27 -- While the whole country celebrates the Holi festival which coincides with the five-day Yaoshang festival of Manipur,people of Manipur, deeply wounded by a year-long communal crisis, have chosen a path of solemn reflection over celebration this year.

The crisis, which erupted on May 3, 2023, during a solidarity rally in Churachandpur district, has left a deep scar on the psyche of Manipur. With over 200 lives lost, over 60,000 individuals displaced, and countless houses and structures reduced to ashes, the wounds of the community are still raw and bleeding.

In a state where festivals are a way of life, the decision to drop the usual celebrations speaks volumes about the resilience and unity of the people of Manipur. ...