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Solung -Adi festival
The
'Solung' is the main festival of 'Adis' and is a manifestation
of the Adis festival cult. There are various stories about its
origin, but the most commonly accepted one is that the Adis were asked by
Kine-nane,
the Goddesses of wealth and prosperity to perform the Solung Puja. The story
goes like this. One 'Doying-Bote' (god of heaven) came in contact with
Kine-nane and become sexually excited. When he was about to copulate with her
two monsters Totel-Mone and Dubeng-Mone, intervened and snatched off his
testicles to destroy it and in the process scattered the divine sperms over
different places from some of which sprouted paddy plants. This was found by
Kine-nane. Finding human beings starving for want of food, she sent the paddy
seeds through a dog. Since then men have been producing paddy in plenty to meet
their requirement of feed. Kine-nane asked the men so helped by her to offer
Puja
in the name of Solung which they were only too willing to do. Kine-name also helped
them to acquire Mithun, and pig, the two animals which are sacrificed at
the time of Solung.
In the Solung they try to propitiate both Doying-Bote and Kine-nane and if
they are pleased and satisfied the former will appear in the form of clouds and
rains and latter will appear in the form of great fertility of soil. They land
together on the surface of the earth where ultimately their union take place. It
is believed that their successful union will lead to high yields of crops, more
animals like mithun, pigs etc and ultimately wealth and prosperity for men.
Solung celebration continues for five days, first day is called,
'Solung-Gidi Dogin' or the day of preparations, second and the main day of the celebration is
called Doreph-Long (the day of animal sacrifice), third day is 'Binnayat Binam' or worshipping the goddess of plenty and prosperity. Fourth day is
Yaktor of Ekoph when the villagers remains busy preparing bows and arrows and
other weapons of war. On the fifth day the Miri (religious leader or priest) is
given a ceremonial send off when the girl's sing and dance. During Solung
festival, every evening the Miri sings 'Solung Abung' and through the song he
relates the stories about the origin of man, animals and plants, ancestry of
the Adis, lives and deeds of the Adi Heroes. Solung is celebrated in the month of August or September but there is
no fixed date for it. Now-a-days in some places, the festival is celebrated with a three
day programme. Solung is celebrated to reap a rich harvest after sowing of seeds and transplantation of
paddy plants, to raise
more mithuns and pigs and also to be free from natural calamities, fire,
accidents, diseases etc.
Mopin- Adi Festival
Mopin is another popular festival of the Adis, mainly of the Gallong
community of
the Arunachal Pradesh. This is normally celebrated in order to get rid of
natural calamities diseases, effects of evil spirits and for good harvest,
health, wealth and prosperity. In this festival Mopin, the Goddess of welfare, peace, wealth, prosperity and
wisdom is propitiated in grand celebration. The festival lasts for five days
from the eighth of April before, sowing of paddy. The popir dance is the most
popular dance during the festival.
Myokoh -Apatani Festival
It is the most highly solemnized community festival of the Apatani society.
It is purely a religious ceremony which is observed for the general well being
of the whole Apatani society and is participated by each and every Apatani with
great enthusiasm, devotion and respect. It is celebrated every year during the month of
March and lasts for the whole month. For full participation, the whole Apatani villages of the plateau have been
divided into three major groups-the first group consist of villages like Hija
Duta, Mudangtage, Bamin and Michi. The second group consist of Hong village
alone and the third group consists of Hari, Kalong , Tajang and Regu. The actual
solemnization ceremony is conducted alternatively among the three major groups
and then the other groups take full participation with the villages who actually
perform the ceremonies.
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