[ Dr Robin Hissang Tadung ]
Introduction
Many laymen, even armchair scholars, may argue that Donyipoloism religion is revitalised after being initiated by late Talom Rukbo as a pioneer during the 1970s. Though he started the movement for systematisation and institutionalisation in modern context, this religion was existing since time immemorial, which originated from Changam Narba (place from where Abo Tanyi’s and his descendants’migration originated). Donyipoloism is basically followed by the Tanyi ethnic group of Arunachal and Assam, viz, Adi, Apatani, Galo, Mishing, Nyishi and Tagin.
The religion Donyipolism is derived from two words,ie, Donyi, means sun and polo means moon. The nyubus (traditional priests) of the Nyishi tribe also consider it their ancestral and indigenous religion since time immemorial. As per definition given by nyubus, the actual meaning of Donyi is ajang or Ajang Ane, the literary meaning is Ane Donyi(mother sun) and polo means moon. All nyubus used priestly language Ajang as Donyi during ritualistic chanting and considers Ajang Ane as supreme and take her name first before starting chanting known as Ajang Aalingfwngnam chanting part.
Ane Donyi is perceived as more spiritual with divinity than Ato Polo. She is considered the supreme goddess and Polo is perceived more for calendar purposes, for calculation of day and night, seasons, time, months, etc, in the Nyishi society. The combination of spirituality and calendar is important guiding forces in any human civilization, so is Donyipoloism.
Donyipoloism religion is named based on nyubus ritual chanting
As per the nyubus of the Nyishi community’s recitation, traditional ritual chanting, folk chanting or folksong. There are various traditional ritual stages to perform and to complete any ritual ceremonial. As per nyubus’ ritual language, the name of Donyi is called Ajang. In order to complete any ritual ceremonial, the following are the actual ritual process followed and narrated by the traditional nyubus.
* Ajang Aalling Fwgnan: This is first chanting of nyubus in which Ajang Aalling Fwngnam means narration or chanting about genesis and power of Ajang Jangtey Anv. As per nyubus terminology, Ajang means Donyi and Ajang Jangtey means supreme mother sun. In the beginning of any ritual chanting, this Ajang Aaling Fwngnam is compulsory verses chanted by any nyubus and this is prayer or seeking blessing for going into invisible spiritual world for successful completion of ritual chanting and activities. So, Nyubus considers Donyi as supreme and first in Nyishi human civilisation.
* Langpu-Langta Fwngnan: The second chanting stage or verses used by nyubus after Ajang Aalling Fwngnam is Langpu Langta Fwngnam,means narration about roles of nyubuus and its origin through a supernatural power gifted by yernebo Anv Donyi.
* Doging/Tadey Gingnam: The third stage is Doging/Tadey Gingnam, chanting means narration of genesis of phratry, clans and migratory routes of ailing person’s family till present generation as a part of searching soul.
* Namchang Noloko: The fourth one chanting stage is Namchang Noloko, means chanting or narration about searching of soul in the dwelling or settlement places of ailing family/person with human relationship with mother nature specially land, river, forest and universe during course of migration so that proper purification can be done.
* Yaji Yalo Menam: The fifth stage chanting is about searching of souls or invisible form of ailing person for curing. As per indigenous faith belief system, every object has two forms, ie, physical and soul form (Yaji Yalo). The nyubus search the soul of the ailing person to bring back with purification during ritual.
* Yalo Namchang: The sixth stage chanting is convincing the soul (Yalo) to come back to own family’s namchang (village) and mikram (parent family), so that ailing person can be cured with rejoining with parents family members,
* Pwre Tamnam: The final stage of nyubus ritual chanting is Pwre (offering) to deities as exchange of gifts for peace, prosperity and happiness of family/clans or human being. Also, promise for respects to maintain balance with the nature. Offering is in every religion though nature of offering may vary.
Forms of Ajang Ane (Ane Donyi)
The Nyishi community, based on traditional nyubuschanting and philosophy consider Ajang JangteyAane (mother sun) as supreme goddess. As per nyubus Ajang Aalingfwngnam chanting, the Ajang Jangtey Ane has different forms and name with reincarnation spiritual power. The supreme one is Ajang Jangtey Ane (priestly term of supreme mother sun) which is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent. She is everywhere and created everything and came first in the universe.
The second incarnated of Jangkam Ajang is Nyikam Donyi in physical or celestial body form whom Nyishi considers as Jangkam Ajang Ane (universal mother Donyi/sun); she is source of universal light, energy and guiding positive energy to universe. So, all celestial bodies revolves around the sun, including Earth, and consider Ajang came first than to Changtey Ane (Mother Earth). So, name is common and same, ie, Ajang Ane. The last incarnated form of Ajang Jangtey Ane was as pretty lady form named Donyi Bijine/Donyi Yai Chumji in human form whom Abo Tanyi married and after she became wife of Abo Tanyi, she guided him about indigenous way of life, indigenous culture and tradition. She told Abo Tanyi about code of conduct and upcoming civilisation phases. She saved Abo Tanyi from different dangers and even protected from extinction. So, Abo Tanyi considers Ajang Jangtey Ane his supreme goddess and henceforth started worshiping.
Hence, still even nyubus pray and take Ajang Jangtey Ane in their first stage ritual chanting in form of Ajang Aaling Fwngnam before starting any ritual chanting. So, Ajang Jangtey Ane is considered supreme goddess (supreme mother sun) and came earlier than Changtey Ane.
Background of worship to Ane Donyi by Tanyi ethnic group
As per nyubus’ narration, one day, Abo Tanyi got trapped from evil designed in the hands of his jealous brother Robo Pacha. One day Robo Pacha by treacherous means closed Abo Tanyi in the pakung(coffin) and hung on the Saa-Subu Langlo/Saa Ginglo (primordial ocean) as a revenge to Tanyi. Abo Tanyi prayed to every living creature for help but no one came to his rescue. The wood cutter bird (Tading Tarring) bored a hole near the eyes of Abo Tanyi on the coffin and the Takeh (squirrel) cut the rope and coffin fell into the ocean. He was drowning, at last Taakhe (ginger) came and when it saw the life of Abo Tanyi was in danger then ginger rushed to the abode of Aane Donyi and informed her that today human race will finish if not rescue to Abo Tanyi. Then Ane Donyi immediately sent Chahi Tano (sacred small thread made of grass) and within a just fraction of minute Tanyi found himself to be in front of his house.
Due to the prompt action of Takhe (ginger), Abo Tani’s life was saved by Aane Donyi and that of the human race too. So, ginger plays important roles in every Nyihsi’s ritual through helping for saving of Tanyi’s life. So, priests use leaf and roots of ginger for healing from illness and also for ward off evils spirits. It is believed that Ane Donyi power is with ginger.
Ane Donyi’s Verse (Gamle)
In due course of civiliaation, the Abo Tanyi married Ane Donyi after winning so many competitions to all male deities and had two children. One day Tanyi disobeyed his wife named Donyi Bijinne/Donyi Yai Chumji’s advice while on trip to bring her sister Ressani for their baby sitting from Ajang Jangtey/Donyi Bijine/Yayi Chumji Namlo (the abode of sun). Ane Donyi told that in order to reach Donyi ne Namlo, there are two routes, viz. one was Myori (wrong and narrow routes or evils prone: the land of misery, sorrow and poverty) where Hwma Tada the deity of poverty stay and another one was Myoba (the right path which passed through the abode of happiness, where all benevolent deities inhabit). Ane Donyi advised Abo Tanyi to take Myoba route but he deliberately neglected his wife’s advise and ignored and took the journey through Myori route. She knew that Hwma Tada (deity of poverty), an evil man had long been conspiring an evil design against Tanyi. On the way, he came acrossed Hwma Tada and induced to fights or exchange all his precious beautiful dresses and worthy ornaments with that of Hwma Tada’s unworthy rugged and valueless objects made of wood, grass and bamboo. Abo Tanyi after losing his valuable ornaments and dresses with unworthy dress with Hwma Tada, he realised his great mistake and could not proceed further to Ajang JangteyAne/Bijine/Donyi Yayi Chumji’s namlo. He decided to return to his home and camouflaged as disguised dog but Aane Donyi Bijine knew it was Tanyi but for confirmation she asked her two children, namely, Bamchari and Bamcharo to offer the spit on the palm and told, if it licks then it is your father Abo Tanyi. The two children performed same and dog licked the spit. After confirmation, Ane Donyi got angry and decided to go back to her parents’ home Ajang Jangteyne Namlo (Donyi’s abode). Because, she suggested Tanyi many a times for discipline, gentle and sober but all the times, he disobeyed her advised. When she was leaving, Abo Tanyi caught her feet and begged for staying back but Aane Donyi refused. But suggested him to devote her every verses and teaching as his guiding philosophical knowledge for betterment of mankind and promised to bestow her blessing for peace, prosperity and happiness of the human race as and when the human race on the Earth remember and pray her with pure heart and mind by following her every verses. So, it is still believed that she will come to rescue human race and she usually comes in two separate physical appearances, viz, in normal time, visit to examine human activities as an ordinary woman and appreciates that leads with honest and devoted to works with sincerity, cleanliness, purity in hearts and deeds, and disappearances from those who are involved in wrong deeds. And other is that Ane Donyi visits on auspicious occasions during the time ritual if invoking with pure heat and clean heart to bestowed upon human being. So, still Nyishi people always pray to Ane Donyi every time and remember whenever any rituals and prayers are offer. During happy and sorrowful moments too, remember her, as she is watching from abode. So, in order to reach Aane Donyi and to get blessing of her, one must adopt her five qualities through her verses, she taught to Abo Tanyi. The first is ‘Atur to’, means be strong by heart, mind, body and spirit, the second one is ‘Anya to’, means love other creatures, feel good to other and see things beautifully, the third one is ‘Darwq to’, means be pure in heart, be fresh and clean both physically and morally, the fourth one ‘Swrso to’, be peace both in mind and action (behave in soft and humble way and last one is ‘Huto to’,means be cheerful, openness in heart and mind and brightness both in one’s mind and actions without hurting others. So, the believers of Donyiploism seem always liberal and secular approaches irrespective faith and religion.
Change and continuity
In every day-to-day life, the Nyishi people always remember Ane Donyi as source of guiding, blessing and energy. The Nyishi believe that she is vigilant about our omission and commission and she knows our past, present and future too. She also even knows your inner thinking and every deeds/actions. She is watching from her abode Donyi ne Namlo. But there are certain changes also occurred in Donyipoloism. Now, the holy prayer institution of Donyipoloism of Nyishi religion is known as Nyedar Namlo which is systematised began from 2001 in Doimukh, Arunachal Pradesh. ‘Nyedar’ means ‘purity, clean and crystal’ and ‘Namlo’ as ‘palace or sacred home’. The prayer house is established in every district and Nyetam (holy book of Donyipoloism’s Nyedar Namlo meaning ‘commandments’) which is being written for prayer codes and process. The Nyishi intellectual and thinkers is doing hard work to codify and documents the priest’s version of chanting. Now, through Nyedar Namlo, an attempt is being made for continuous flow of old age faith and belief, ie,Donyipoloism in an organised way in disciplinedmanner in the hearts of every soul.
Conclusion
There is shifting of prayer system in the Donyipolism having both traditional and modern approaches based on core values of Aane Donyi’s teaching but others faith believers consider it as copy from others and influenced by someone which baseless and defaming the wisdom of great Abo Tanyi, ancestors and pioneers. Donyipoloism is most liberal and secular religion of the world which embraces everyone with following mutual respect and love but today that liberal and secular philosophy became factors for danger of its existing in own native place. So, in order to systematised and keep in orderly way. All nyubus chanting and verses are being documented from oral tradition to written documented form to adapt with in modernity. (Dr Robin Hissang Tadung is the founder principal of Government College, Seppa, East Kameng. He can be reached at robinhissang@gmail.com.)
