Arunachal: Adi Bori communities celebrate Donggin festival with zeal and tradition

The Adi Bori communities of Payum and Kaying circles in Siang district came together to mark the joyous Donggin festival. The festivities started with enthusiasm and grandeur at Jarku village, Pasighat, drawing participants from the region, including Mrs. Rebecca Panyang Megu, Deputy Chief Councilor of Pasighat Municipal Council, who graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.

The Donggin festival, celebrated in the month of January, February, and March, signifies the beginning of the New Year for the Bori community of the Adi tribe. This auspicious occasion has been a part of the cultural fabric of Payum and Kaying Circle in Siang District for generations, fostering a sense of community and shared heritage.

Tabang Gaduk, Chief Adviser of the Donggin Festival Celebration Committee, Pasighat, shared insights into the rich history and origins of the Donggin festival during the jubilant celebration at Jarku village. He emphasized that Donggin is a festival of abundance and richness, where the community engages in rites and rituals, including the sacrifice of Pigs and Mithuns, to honor natural Gods and Goddesses. The purpose is to seek peace, prosperity, and protection from natural calamities, accidents, diseases, and evil spirits during the active farming seasons, ensuring a bountiful harvest.

Rebecca Panyang Megu, along with Okeng Tayeng, Councilor of Ward No. [X] PMC, and Tagom Darang, Gaon Burah of Jarku village, attended the festival as Special Guests. They encouraged the Adi Bori community to organize the Donggin festival with even greater splendor in the future. Megu and Tayeng emphasized the importance of preserving cultural traditions, expressing that the celebration of festivals like Donggin fosters unity, oneness, and brotherhood among diverse communities.