Solung is such a festival of Adi inhabiting Siang, East Siang, West Siang, Upper Siang and parts of lower Dibang Valley Districts of Arunachal Pradesh. It is believed that Solung is the youngest or the last Festival of the Adis. The word Solung is a combination of two words – ESO + ALUNG = SOLUNG, which means Mithun and herd. It is so called because plenty of Mithun are sacrificed during the festival to propitiate numbers of benevolent spirits
One of the popular agriculture festivals, Solung is celebrated by the Adi Tribes. The festival is celebrated in the first week of September, after the sowing of seeds, to seek prosperity and a good harvest. The main celebration of the festivals are in three main parts - Sopi---Yekpi (the first part and the sacrificial day), Binnayat (the second part, the ritual offering to goddess of crops, Kine Nane) and Ekop (also called Taktor; the ritual made for protection against harms by evil spirits)
The first part known as Sopi-Yekpi or Ardo-Bado is the main inaugural day during which mithuns and pigs are sacrificed and offered to Dadi Bote, the god of domestic animals. The second part of the festival is Binyat during which the goddess of crops and food, Kine Nane, is worshiped. During the last phase of the festival, Ekop or Taktor, Miri, the singer leader, narrates the story of Nibo or Abotani who was the forefather of the Tanis.
Day 1
The first eve of Solung evening on 1st September is a warm welcome to benevolent spirits to the Gute Gamro, the owner of the domestic animal through Gumin Soyin, the designer of life with rituals offering done with ritual chanting to appease Dadi Bote. This rituals worship offering is called Agam Keypel. The Aabang chatted by the Miri in this night is called Liimir Liibom. The Miri (priest) plays with Yoksa (Musical instrument) in such a scale that the steps of ponung dance are synchronized and progresses in a rhythmic pose. The Aabang chanted by the priest and followed by ponung Mimum dancing with slow motion from left to right in a single rhythm is worth seeing. In Liimir Libom the priest narrates on the evolution of universe and other celestial bodies and then picks up creation of various plants and animals of this abode of human being. Special emphasis is given on creation of Mithun from a giant animal called Liimir Sobo. It blocked the communication roads of the heaven and earth. No one would dare to remove it even after many attempts. At last, the people of Dadi Somi killed Liimir Sobo and cut it into pieces which were thrown into different places and from which different forms of animals and plants grew up. A ground creeper (Epum) germinated from one part of tactical of Liimir Sobo and bear fruit. It is believed that an insect inside the gourd later on grew bigger and bigger and took shape of an animal called Mithun. There was a controversy over the ownership of the Mithun. After all deliberations, Engo Takar people got the ownership of the Mithun and later on Tani inherited the belongings of Engo Takar along with the Mithun.
Day 2
The second night of Solung is called Binnyat. The miri start his ponung narration about Pedong Nane who was married to Yiidum Bote. She gave birth to thousands of children but she could not provide even sustainable food to them. To bring them up Pedong Nane had tried her level best to end out appetite and thirst of their bellies by offering the “Ngarsi – Ngarlung” Sobo (dew and frost) and Liipun-Liiyang Sobo (meat of rocks and Neolithic stone) but in vain. After that Tuusin Roodong told Pedong Nane to sacrifice a Mithun and a Pig. Accordingly, all relatives and children of Pedong Nane were invited to the feast and distributed the meat to all of them. It is believed that all edible plants of the earth sprouted the meat to all of them. It is believed that all edible plants of the earth sprouted from the meat. From the vital part of Dende Sebo which were given to Kiine Nane crops like Maize, Paddy, Millet etc, germinated in the land of Sutkin kedeng for which Kiine Nane became prosperous.
Day 3
The third night of solung is Taktor which begins with Sedi Melo genealogy up to the last activity of Dooni. Pedong Nane disappeared while Dooni was an infant. So his sorrows and mental agonies were endless. He took shelter in caves and hollows of trees but had no food to kill his belly’s appetite. The Aabang dwelt at land on the development of Tani and his separation from Robo. The knowledge Tani was imparted with by Gumin Soyin in various fields is vividly described. Victory of good over the evil is depicted. It is believed that some evil spirits are still lingering in the atmosphere and trying to inflict on human body os well as domestic animals. Taktor is performed by fastening bows and arrows on the main passes of every house with pieces of red ginger, or chilies on the tip of arrows to disperse malevolent spirits and safeguarding the humanity as a whole.
Apart from all these, people offer rituals for the protection against the evil spirits and pray to Doying Bote and Gumin-Soyin to shower their blessings. The main highlight of the festival that makes it a must see over a tour to Arunachal Pardesh is Ponung dance performance, which is done by the ladies of all age group