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Donggin is one of the most important festivals celebrated by the Bori or Adi community of Arunachal Pradesh. Donggin among Adi means the spring which is celebrated from February 2nd to 5th. During this festival, they worship and provide offerings to their deities for blessing and good harvest.
Until 1978, the festival was quite private and intimate but late Tassor Taring, former President of Kaying Payum Anchal Samity in 1978 started the generalization of the festival. The government of Arunachal Pradesh gave recognition and enlisted the festival in the Gazette of Arunachal Pradesh in the year 1995 and the fixed date was declared for the celebration which is February 2nd of every year.
During this festival, they worship the deities which include Podi Meteh (deity of domestic animals), Togu Yugon (deity of well-being and prosperity), Miti Mitak (deity of food grains), Miring Mising (deity of wealth), and Prine Toneh (deity of harvest).
This day is known as BINTER. On this day, the women collect good grains from the granary and dry them out under the sun. Then, they all together make rice and other food dishes and then celebrate the day by throwing a feast.
After BINTER, the next day is ESING EKO which means wild leaves and firewood. The young boys of the village roam around in the jungle in search of firewood and wild leaves and then the host of the family serves them with Apong (rice beer).
The third day is the SILING TANON. On this day, a special kind of tree AAMIT ESING is cut down into pieces and keeps drying under the sun. This SILING TANON is used as decorative items and firewood during the festival.
The next day of SILING TANON is SOKANG RANON. On this day, the men build the SOKANG (an alter) used to sacrifice the Mithun. It is constructed in the corridor of the house.
The fifth day is the SOBO PANON which is very important as on that day animals like mithun and pigs are being sacrificed to offer the deities. The priest keeps on chanting mythical folklore which narrates the genealogy and history of achievements of the forefathers. The priest is believed to be the holy communicator and mediator among the mortal humans and god.
the concluding day is known as the GUMBO which comes after three days of SOBO PANON. After Sobo Panon, a social taboo called NYONON is being practised by the host family for three days. On the 4th day of NYONON, the youngsters of the village collect four long bamboos for GUMBO. The bamboos are decorated and sprinkled with Apong. The bamboos are then erected on each side of the host's roof joining at the top end. This marks the conclusion of the festival of Sobo Panon in Donggin. On this day, the priest through his chants bid farewell to all the deities and seeks their choicest blessing to mankind and especially to the members of the host family.
During ancient times when there were no calendars, they usually had to depend on the seasons but with times the festival is celebrated on a fixed date with a lot of enthusiasm and grandeur.
Pema Khandu, the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh took to Twitter to extend wishes and greetings to the Adi community for Donggin Festival.