By Gumken Bagra

Mopin festival is celebrated by the GALO Community of Arunachal Pradesh to get bumper production in agricultural fields as well as to have prosperity, good health and welfare of the society. It is a festival of dance and songs with religious ritual. With this festival f1ows the evolution story of the vast universe, creation, recreation and procreation of cosmos, the planets, the biogenesis of animals and plants.

Creation of the earth: We believe that the sun is the main source of light and power. The earth was created by the Goddess sun and gave energy to every creature to live. When the earth came into existence there were no plants, no animals and was very soft then. Therefore, In Galo language we use to chant as follows:—

HISI KOMJI E RIYILA,

MEDO PIPPA REYALA,

KABO TAPUM E RULUMLA,

YABO TAPUM E RULUMLA.

In due course of time the earth became cool and wet, which was favorable for growing plants and living creatures.

Beginning Of Mopin Celebration:

ABO-TANI the first human ancestor was roaming without wife. In due course of time ABO-TANI married DONYI MUNDI (the daughter of the Sun). The Mithuns, Pigs and hens were offered as gift by the Sun.

Mithuns were roaming without proper care and had crossed the boundary of the TAKAR TAJI (deities). Takar Taji captured the mithuns and planned to perform TOGU PANAM (marriage ceremony).

TAKAR TAJI started to perform a great marriage ceremony by sacrificing ten mithuns. ABO-TANI came to know that big event. He reached TAKAR TAJI’s village. He visited and observed decorations of marriage and insisted TAKAR TAJI to repeat the decorations of marriage dress in which every thing found wrong. ISI-PUSKI, MURDUM PONYO, HIGH TALAP (main dresses of marriage) etc. were decorated in a wrong way.

ABO-TANI directed TAKAR TAJI to invite his mother who could decorate in a proper manner. ABO-TANI’s preparation was to seize all the ten mithuns. Earlier ABO-TANI prepared a model of his mother and fixed at a waterfall (YAI-YELA BUDUM) so that it may be easy to fell down and drowned. He also fixed a long bamboo called nurte kome to push down his modeled mother. He directed TAKAR-TAJI to call his mother loudly. KEKOPAI (a kind of squirrel) was sent to invite TANI’s mother. ABO-TANI advised KEKOPAI that his mother is deaf. She should be awaken by pushing bamboo (murte kome) fixed there. KEKOPAI shouted repeatedly hut remained silent. Ultimately he pushed the model and the model of mother fell down into waterfall.

It was ABO-TANI’s trick to trap TAKAR-TAJI. TANI came to learn that his mother is drowned. He displayed his anger and warned TAKAR-TAJI that he will destroy the whole universe. TAKAR-TAJI will be responsible for that great unfortunate event. TAKAR-TAJI compelled to return back ABO-TANI’s mithun and ABO-TANI was successful in his conspiracy to sabotage TAKAR-TAJI’s plan.

TAKAR-TAJI Community faced helpless condition. They sacrificed PASE RODO (a tins small rat) instead of ten mithun and faced many miserable problems. Birds and animals were also invited to that marriage ceremony as guest. There were scarcity of meat to gift to the guests. TAKOM DUMMA (a kind of grasshopper) cut down his head due to shortage of meat. It is seen that TAKOM-DUMMA is found without head till today as a matter of fact.

DOIK LEPA (a small bird) cut out meat from his legs because of shortage of meat. That is why little bird DOIK LEPA is seen with very thin legs until today.

DUMPU- KIPU:

Mans events occurred during that marriage ceremony. DUMPU (Deer) and KIPU (Dog) were also invited there. There was no gift to offer Kipu and Dumpu. A AGYA POSUM (decomposed bean) was jointly offered for Kipu and Dumpu. They quarreled each other when they started distributing. DUMPU destroyed AGYA POSUM in anger and ran away. KIPI chased DUMPU. However, DUMPU reached DIGO-PIRNE (Mopin place), KIPU also followed and reached there. KIPU was arrested by DIGO-PIRNE and kept under captivity.

After few days, ABO-TANI started his journey to DIGO-PIRNE in search of his pet dog KIPU. When ABO-TANI reached there, he was also arrested by DIGO-PIRNE and was kept in captivity.

ABO-TANI thought much to find out a way for his release from captivity. He made a trick and killed KIRTE PUMPA (a had smelling rat), ABO-TANI kept had smelling rat under his arm and threatened DIGO-PIRNE (MOPIN) that he was going to die soon. If he dies at MOPIN’s place the had smell will spread in the whole Mopin paradise and will cause catastrophic situation.

In fear and panic the deities of DIGO-PIRNE wanted to release ABO-TANI and KIPU from captivity. Ultimately, they released both ABO-TANI and KIPU and allowed them to return to their own motherland and that is temporal world. However, ABO-TANI asked for compensation as he was under captivity of MOPIN. ABO-TANI demanded YILI BOMGO (seeds). DIGO-PIRNE compelled to offer the same. ABO-TANI put the seeds in KIPU’s ears and reached his own place. You will find today that the dog has layers in their ears until today because of such story. He seeds at a deserted called DIBIN BILIN POKO LOTO without clearing the forest. The seeds could not germinate and returned back to DIGO-PIRNE. When ABO-TANI visited the place where he sowed the seeds, he found no seeds at all.

ABO-TANI reached MOPIN to inquire regarding the seeds. He conveyed MOPIN about his unfortunate missing of seeds. He asked MOPIN to offer seeds again but MOPIN was not willing to offer seeds again. MOPIN directed ABO-TANI to clear the jungle and prepare the cultivation in proper manner.

BEGINNING OF GRICULTURE:

MOPIN advised ABO-TANI to clear the forest and prepare the field properly. But there were no agricultural equipments. Again, Mopin indicated ABO-TANI to purchase equipment front NYIRO-PORO KOMAR (a deity’s place of making equipment). MOPIN advised ABO-TANI to collect RAMPIN (Beaver Skin) and exchange axes and other equipments.

ABO-TANI collected equipments as per direction of MOPIN. Agricultural field was prepared accordingly and sowed the seeds in proper manner. ABO-TANI got bumper production as MOPIN blessed for wealth, prosperity, health and peace; and happiness prevailed all around the surroundings of ABO-TANI,

THE FIRST CELEBRATION OF MOPIN.

ABO-TANI gained every sorts of wealth and property through MOPIN’s will. Therefore, ABO-TANI planned to celebrate MOPIN in a great pomp and joy. He invited all the deities for proper blessing for agriculture. It was perhaps the first MOPIN celebration done by ABO-TANI. MOPIN visited the places and satisfied with every performance of ABO-TANI. MOPIN offered every needs and bestowed power upon ANYI MUMDI and ABO-TANI. ABO-TANI and MUMDI started their conjugal life.

Therefore, we the human being have to follow the practice of ABO-TANI and DONYI-MUMDI to get prosperity, good health, bumper production from our agricultural field.

MARRIAGE OF DIYI TAMI:

This is the another version in GALO community that ABO-TANI married DIYI-TAMI another fairy lady of MOPIN. ABO-TANI was a favorite person for the MOPIN. Without ABO-TANI there was no amusement. Therefore, MOPIN and other deities used to keep ABO-TANI in happy and rejoice. Without ABO-TANI, MOPIN and other deities felt boredom. All the fairy ladies were fond of ABO-TANI. He chosed DIYI TAMI’s hand. MOPIN and other deities also offered many gills and power in favour of the couple.

MOPIN offered a magical rice seed. Out of a single grain it could increase as many as family members can eat. DIYI TAMI gained such a powerful magical seeds. They started leading conjugal life.

MARRIGE OF RUSI TAMI (famine girl):

ABO-TANI was a man of greedy. He again married ROSI TAMI (a famine girl). ROSI TAMI came to ABO-TANI’s house with DIRE KIBO (a famine dog). DIYI TAMI cooked rice out of a single grain which increased as many as family members can eat sufficiently. ROSI TAMI has left excess food to DIRE KIBO (famine dog). The famine dog ate off left over food. Because of this, the magical power of seeds banished and ABO-TANI felt very sad. DIYI TAMI returned to MOPIN in anger for marrying ROSI TAMI. ABO-TANI’s house became deserted. DIYI TAMI informed ABO-TANI, not to return back to TANI’s home.

All the well wishers of ABO-TANI suggested that ROSI TAMI must be drove away ROSI TAMI and forced to drown into the river. ABO-TANI drove away ROSI TAMI and forced to drowned into the river water.

FAMINE IN ABO-TANI’s FIELD:

The sad news reached to DIRE DIKU. DIRE (Famine) expressed his anger. The DIRE (famine) sent his famine team to TANI’s village. The entire agricultural field became dry and deserted. The people started dying in starvation. The great famine prevailed in the TANI land. ABO-TANI conveyed to MOPIN regarding the miserable conditions. He asked MOPIN to advise how to worship to get rid of starvation.

MOPIN advised ABO-TANI to perform a ritual to satisfy DIRE to withdraw famine in no time. But DIRE (famine) was in anger, because of his sister ROSI TAMI’s demise. Hence, ABO-TANI performed a great DIRE worship as per MOPIN’s direction. The famine was no more in TANI’s land after puja.

MAGIC SEEDS:

Just to regain magic seeds again ABO-TANI performed Mopin Celebration. He asked for magic seeds. But in vain. But Mopin appeared in the agricultural field bestowed the power of every sorts of agricultural seeds such as LIJI LIPIN (Precious stone), YILI BONGO (bumper production), prosperity, wealth and good health. But magic seeds banished for eternity due to DIRE-KIBO ate off the left over food as a consequence of ABO-TANI’s marring RONI TAMI and for giving excess food to DIRE KIBO by ROSI TAME.

Our Galo Community celebrates Mopin festival every year. In those days only MOPIN and Solung festivals ere celebrated. But now a days every community celebrates festival of their own community in Arunachal Pradesh.

MOPIN is one of the major festivals celebrated by the Galo community in Arunachal Pradesh as the torch bearer of socio-cultural and religious identity of Galo Community in particular and Donyi-Polo believers as a whole in Arunachal Pradesh.

(Sri Gumken Bagra, Retd. Teacher, Vill: Doji, West Siang District, Arunachal Pradesh)