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Solung - a Festival of the Adis of Arunachal Pradesh
Author: Guptajit Pathak  | Posted: 06-09-2007 | Comments: 0 | Views: 35 | Rating: (95)  (?) 
 Introductory Note:
The ‘Solung’ is a socio-religious festival of the ‘Adi’ community. Since, they belonged to all agricultural community, the ‘Solung’ festival is primarily connected with the agricultural activities of the people. The ‘Solung’ of the Adis can be compared with the three Bihus of the Assamese, as they are also socio-religious in nature, which has a close connection with agriculture. Prevalent among the Adi community are various myths, stories, faiths and beliefs about the origin of the ‘Solung’ festival.
Generally, ‘Solung’ is celebrated in the mid-part of the year i.e. the months of July/August corresponding to the Adi months of ‘Tauno’ and ‘Yio’ respectively. However, ‘Solung’ is celebrated on different days of these months depending upon different villages. But, usually the date is fixed by the “Kebang” or the village council depending upon the convenience of the village people. Sometimes, even the ‘Gam’ (headman) can also fixed the date of this festival with the consent of other leaders of the village. Once the date of the festival is fixed, the villagers starts preparing the ‘rice-beer’ or ‘Apong’. Plenty of fresh vegetables are also stored for the occasion.
About Solung :
The ‘Solung’ festival continues for seven days. On the very first day, the famous ‘Indian Bison’ or ‘Mithun’ along with pigs are slaughtered in the wee hours of the morning. In the village, a family can sacrifice both mithun and pig or pig alone depending upon their financial capability. However, on the sacrificial day, no special dinner is offered but ‘Apong’ is prepared in plenty and made available and the meat of the slaughtered animals are preserved for the rest of the days of the festival.
The second day of the ‘Solung’ is generally known as ‘Yegling’. One-third of the preserved meat is distributed among the relatives on this particular day. However, on this day a grand and special dinner is arranged especially for neighbours, women and children. However, ‘Apong’ is prepared on all the days of the Solung festival. On the fourth day of this festival, one of the inmates of the family goes to the field and sacrifices a fowl especially for ‘Kine Nane’. Moreover, a woman or a girl generally offers ‘Etting’ and ‘Apong’ along with the sacrifice for ‘Kine Nane’. This particular day of the festival is called as ‘Oinnyad’.
On the last and on the seventh day of the Solung festival, men assembles at the village dormitory generally known as ‘Mosup’ to make bows and arrows, which are fastened on the doors of every house in the village. This is done in order to resist the evil spirits from entering the houses. This day is known ‘Ekob’. On the tenth day of the festival, villagers collectively uproots the weak, plants of paddy, which are being spoiled by worm and insects and are thrown on a small platform, especially constructed for the purpose, just beside the main path of the village. This act is done to bring to the notice of ‘Kine Nane’ (the Goddess) that the worms and the insects are destroying their paddy crops with the hope that she will drive away the worms and insects out of the fields. This act or process is known as ‘Irni’.
‘Ponung’ is a kind of dance which is always associated and organised with the Solung festival. In other words, it is also known as ‘Solung-Ponung’. The Ponung dance begins on the first day of the Solung festival. Young girls in the age group of 14 to 18 years takes part in the Ponung dance. These girls are generally known as ‘Ponung Bona’ i.e., Ponung dancers. This particular dance is organised and performed in a place called ‘Yingkiong’. From the social point of view, the ‘Solung’ may be called as the ‘festival of refreshment’.
Conclusion:
The ‘Solung’ is celebrated throughout the Siang district and also by the Adis inhabiting the Lohit district. The origin of the ‘Solung’ festival is related with a ‘legend’ i.e., the growth of paddy. The legendry narrates that the plant of the paddy originated from the life juice of ‘Yidum-Bote’ (Son of the God of knowledge) and the paddy plant was reared by ‘Kine-nane’ (the Goddess of the underworld). It was believed that a squirrel in the form of messenger of the human beings went to ‘Kine-Nane’ to ask for paddy.
However, the Goddess agreed to supply paddy to man if he sacrifices mithuns and pigs every year. The legend also says that one day ‘Kine-Nane’ caught the wild pig which was chased by man and it went to the region where ‘Kine-Nane’ had put some paddy in the ears of the wild pig. The pig went back to the earth and that is how, men started to cultivate paddy.
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About the Author:Guptajit Pathak
Head, Faculty of Social Sciences
Donyi Polo Vidya Bhawan
Itanagar - 791111
Arunachal Pradesh (India)
Mobile No. 09856274617
Email : guptajitpathak@yahoo.com
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