Yupanthaba Ceremony

It basically means the ceremony of offering wine. Wine plays an important role in the culture of Manipur. Every indigenous community of Manipur has their own unique style of drinking wine, their ceremonies and rituals. Yu, as it is commonly called in the plain, is the rice wine fermented using the native creeper called ‘Yangli’ which is believed to add sweetness to the fermented drink. There are several types, including the distilled kinds, but the most important one is considered to be ‘Waiyu’. Waiyu is made out of the rice and the husk mixed together with hamei (rice flour mixed with yangli) and fermented for a month before an important ceremony. It is the wine considered to be good enough to offer to the gods. For every important ceremony, most communities prepare Waiyu for Yupanthaba. It is also known for its medicinal properties.
 
In a Yupanthaba Ceremony, the elders are always the ones to receive the first round of drinks after the offering. And then the young people come and join the drinking ceremony with due formalities and prayer. Even though alcoholic in nature, the drink is shared in moderation amongst the community to celebrate or perform a ritual for good fortune and blessings.
 
Yupanthaba can be performed before any auspicious occasion. It is a sign of showing respect and also seeking blessing. For the Meitei Community, Yupanthaba has now been corrupted into the term ‘Ipanthaba’ and relates only to the ceremony of a baby’s birth. However, in villages like Sekmai and Andro, Ipanthaba is still practiced in its ancient form and yu is used for it.