Skip to content Skip to navigation

Donyi-Polo

Having spent a considerable amount of time in the remote north-eastern part of India while growing up, I was exposed to what I now can understand better after reading and listening to Osho. What seemed strange at that time has unfolded now as a beautiful vision for me.

During that time I had many friends who would share with us exceptional examples of the village shaman curing many diseases with the blessings of supernatural powers. It was quite amazing to watch rituals people performed before they axed a tree. People made offerings on a leaf platter containing betel nuts and leaves, some turmeric powder, rice, burning incense and a few coins and apologized to the tree.  It was an absolute wonderful experience to live with people who connected so beautifully with nature.

Donyi-Polo, literally translated means Sun-Moon, is an animist religion of the Tani and other Tibeto-Burman people in Arunachal Pradesh. Sun and Moon represent female and male energy forces, similar to the yin and yang of Chinese culture.

The tribes of Arunachal Pradesh such as Galos, Adis, Apatanis, Nishis, Hill Miris, and Mishings follow this religion. According to a 2001 census, there were around 337,000 people practicing the Donyi-Polo religion. However, to call Donyi-Polo a religion is misrepresenting the essence of the very experience with nature.

“There have been secret methods to get energy from the moon and from the sun too. Sun worship was born out of a certain technique; great temples of the sun arose. The sun temple of Konarak was just an expression of gratitude to the sun. It was not just worship, it was a science - how to get yang energy in you. It is particularly good for women to get sun energy in them so that their hidden, dormant yang becomes active, and it is good for men to get moon energy so that their dormant feminine principle becomes alive, moving again. It is good for a woman to be a sun worshipper and good for a man to be a moon worshipper.”

Osho, The Secret of Secrets, Vol. 1, Ch 7

Some anthropologists observe that Donyi-Polo is probably derived from the pre-Buddhist Bön religion of Tibet which, according to the Bön, originated in ca. 16,000 BCE. Donyi-Polo focuses on the worship of the sun and moon, considered the eternal watch deities of the supreme gods, Bo and Bomong.

Followers of the Donyi-Polo tradition believe that all people of Arunachal Pradesh share a common ancestry from Abotani. The religion has no written scriptures, but has traditionally been passed down orally from each generation to the next. Believers pray to a number of spirits, deities and souls for blessings, but they principally worship the sun (Donyi) and the moon (Polo) as the visible forms of the gods.

It is the analogy through which the Divinity (Sedi) can be described, representing the way in which the divine principle manifests itself, that is: eternally veiling, unveiling and then revealing himself in nature; providing harmony and balance to the universe, for example in the alternation of light and darkness, heat and cool, or unity (analogically, the Sun of the daily sky) and multiplicity (analogically, the stars of the night sky).

The practical expression of the faith in Donyi-Polo can be found in the daily life and actions of people: they call themselves "Donyi O, Polo Ome", meaning "children of the sun and the moon". When a believer is distressed he invokes "Donyi-Polo". If a man is falsely accused of lying he invokes "Donyi-e!", "oh Sun!". All these are expressions of faith in Donyi-Polo upholding providently the world, rewarding the righteous and punishing wrong-doers. The divine pair is revered as the highest holy figure governing fate.

"Donyi-Polo" is also used in the sense of "truth" in sacral speech and is an epitome for wisdom, enlightenment, right conscience, truthfulness, and selflessness. Aware people are called "Donyi-Polo Ome", which means "children of truth", and elders are regarded as "Donyi-Polo Abu", "representatives of the truth".

Donyi-Polo includes religious rituals that coincide with lunar phases and agricultural cycles. A follower of Donyi-Polo believes in the oneness of all living creatures, from the tiniest of organisms to the mightiest of animals, and that every living creature has a role to play in his or her life. They believe that a spirit (or soul) resides within all men, plants, animals, and the land that nourishes them, having a strong connection with humans.

While Arunachal Pradesh is still largely animist unlike the other north-eastern states which have become heavily Christianised, the number of Christian converts has actually increased over the years.  Christianity has become a sensitive issue. The number of Christians increased to about 18 per cent of the sparsely populated state of a little over 1 million in 2001 from 10.3 per cent in 1991. In the mid-1980s, in Arunachal Pradesh, long isolated from the rest of India to protect the faith of tribes from Christian missionaries, efforts were made to give an organised form to the traditional beliefs and values of the region, and to protect the locals against coerced conversion to foreign religions.

Osho says, Christianity killed millions of pagans who believed in the whole of nature, in the whole of existence as divine; who worshipped trees, who worshipped the moon, who worshipped the sun, who worshipped rivers, mountains, anything - because everything was sacred. Christianity destroyed them, and converted those pagans into Christians - from an impersonal God to a personal God, from natural people into repressive maniacs!”

I Celebrate Myself: God Is No Where, Life Is Now Here, Ch 6, Q 1

Supporters of the revival of Donyi-Polo have coined the slogan ‘Loss of culture is loss of identity’ which has become very popular. The indirect implication is that those who convert to Christianity lose their culture and hence their identity. On the other hand, some Hindu groups now accuse Christian missionaries of using inducements such as schooling to lure poor people to the faith, and have also launched a movement to reconvert many tribal Christians back to Hinduism. 

It seems the major religions are still not done trying to convert more people to their ‘only true religion’. They would merrily crush the freedom of the indigenous people, destroy any individuality they personify to add to the numbers of their flock. May the Donyi-Polo remain strong, different  and independent, and their way of life in their remote region protected.

Author info

Ma Prem Naina's picture

Ma Prem Naina born in Jorhat, Assam, was initiated into Sannyas in 2003 at Oshodham, New Delhi. She is an MBA and also holds a Master’s degree in Mass Communication. Deeply inspired by the love and dedication of the founder of the Osho World Foundation in Delhi, Swami Om Prakash Saraswati, she left her career as a producer/journalist to join in Osho’s caravanserai. She presently heads the publications and media relations at Osho World Foundation, New Delhi. www.oshoworld.com

Add new comment

Assamese Translator

Assam Times seeks English to Assamese translators!
Join our volunteer team.
Email editor@assamtimes.org.

Random Stories

Gogoi unhappy with army court verdict

23 Jan 2013 - 7:20am | AT News
Chief minister Tarun Gogoi said that the Army court had taken a lenient view of the crime. He told reporters in Jorhat that he would urge the defence ministry to review the case to ensure proper...

Body of missing youth recovered

13 Jan 2017 - 11:59am | Shajid Khan
Sensation prevails following the recovery of the body of youth who was missing since January 8 after going to a picnic at Bogamati of Baksa district bordering Indo-Bhutan terrain has been recovered...

Border clash avoided; Assam sets up PHC foundation stone at Lengpih

1 Jun 2008 - 4:17pm | editor
Despite a simmering situation along the Assam-Meghalaya border, Assam health minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma has laid the foundation stone a Primary health centre at Langpih, a place in Kamrup...

Crack within BPF over candidate

28 Mar 2014 - 7:18pm | Hantigiri Narzary
A crack smell has been appearing among Bodoland People Front (BPF) leaders and following No.5 Kokrajhar Lok Sabha seat where BPF declared Chandan Brahma, sitting Transport minister in Assam...

Other Contents by Author

Why do we become joyous on a particular day and why in every culture and society, there are a few days in the year for celebration? People think someday, in the future we are going to be happy, joyful, celebrating. Osho’s vision is that, if you want to be happy, joyful, celebrating, then nothing is lacking. Right now, this very moment, dance; laugh, this very moment. This moment is all there is; celebrate it. For Osho, life is all. What else is there, he asks? If one loses life and gains the whole world instead, what has one gained really? And if you gain your life and lose the whole world, nothing is lost. Life is meant to be a celebration, not a contest, a competition. We need not be...
Sai  itna  dijiye, ja main kutumb  samaye || Main bhi  bhukha  na  rahu, sadhu  na  bhukha  jayeGive that much O God, suffice to envelop my clan || I should not suffer cravings, nor the visitor goes unfed-Saint Kabir In Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainsim, ‘dana’ that is giving or sharing is an important part of one’s religious practice. Dana is a Sanskrit and Pali word that connotes the virtue of generosity and is an ancient practice in Indian traditions. Dana is mentioned in ancient texts as “paropkara” meaning benevolent deed. Here “dana” and “dakshina” differ as “dakshina” is a fee or gift in return for anything taken. “Bhiksha...
An ancient proverb says- we are and always will be connected to nature. With the ever increasing speed of urbanization, globalization and our new found addition of the screen, we need to be with nature more than ever to stay healthy and sane. We are so hassled and tired in our day to day activities that we are losing touch with our primary and most essential life’s source and missing out on the positive effects of nature. We come from nature and will go back to nature. Nature mothers us and provides us with all that is essential to be alive. Just as Osho says, “Your life is your breath”. Breath is the bridge between the body and the self and between the self and the universe. But how many...
An exceptional, genuine and a compassionate person who surrendered his life to giving. Walking alone in the path of selflessness and humility is a true story of a man named Jadav ‘Molai’ Payeng. This man has single-handedly created a thriving, 550 hectare forest from a 'barren' sandbar in the middle of the river Brahmaputra of Assam.Payeng belongs to the Mishing tribe and since 1979 Jadav has been planting trees.  His forest is larger than Central Park NYC (341 hectares). His forest has transformed what was once a barren wasteland, into a lush oasis. This place is full of trees Jadhav has planted them himself.  In beginning he found planting trees very difficult and...
Modern man is like an uprooted tree. He has forgotten how to relate with existence, his surrounding and more importantly with himself. He has forgotten how to whisper with the clouds and the trees and the mountains. He has completely forgotten the language of silence. It is the silence that becomes a bridge between man and the universe. On this earth there are almost 3000 languages and existence knows no other language except the language of silence.  All communication has disappeared from the world. Everybody is living a lonely life and man has never been so lonely. Communication has failed because a thick, dense indifference surrounds everybody that even a shout cannot be heard...
Hindus have chosen a beautiful word, Ramleela, to signify the drama of Rama's life. Leela means play, which implies an abundance of energy. Only Hindus have the concept of play in their religion. They say, "The world is God's play- leela." Leela means there is so much overflowing energy, just to sit idle is impossible! The energy is overflowing. God is infinite energy, and we are his overflowing. The whole existence is his overflowing. It is all his abundance that is flowing and he can never be exhausted. This energy which can never be emptied, is called Rama. There is no destiny, no fate for God. He is beyond destiny. Flowers bloom, the moon shines and the stars twinkle for what? Why do...
Marilyn Monroe, Robin Williams, Ernest Hemingway and back home in India, Nafisa Joseph, Viveka Babaji, Jiah Khan, more recently Pratyusha Banerjee, their way of choosing death reveals that their famous lifestyles are not as bright as the sparkling spotlights they walk through. More so, it is often a case of ignoring that darker side of life which, if consciously tackled, could become a breakthrough.Today the world we live in is a complex phenomenon, intertwined with several dynamics such as relationships, ambition, competition, anger, jealousy etc. Often, we all go through varied moods, and many of us have experienced depression, anxiety and stress. But taking one’s own life is an extreme...
Man has been conditioned down the centuries for goals, purposes and meanings, a goal-oriented ideology. All ideologies are goal-oriented. Because of these ideologies one cannot allow oneself to relax in the moment. The goading for achieving something continuously runs in the back of the mind. The whole education system is a strategy of poisoning the individual’s consciousness; a strategy of driving one crazy after goals and creating ambition. Ambition is neurosis. But this has been done for so long that it has become part and parcel of the human mind. Every university can become a place, not only to teach geography, history and other subjects; but to teach something very essential:...
When Bob Marley composed his very famous redemption song in 1980, he inspired millions with the lyrics -"Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds". Probably at that time he had no idea how relevant  these words will be today, after 36 years. Outer slavery is not as complex as mental slavery because mental slavery is something that happens in an individual’s mind, invisible to others in the outside world.  Mental slavery is not somebody else's responsibility. It is just that we donot want to be responsible for our own acts and most importantly we are afraid of being free.  This fear is worse than anything that can happen to anybody....
Terrorism is not new, though it has come in a new incarnation. Throughout our history, invaders like the Huns, Taimur Lane, Nadirshah, Mahmood Gaznavi to Hitler, Stalin, Mao, all are part of a chain of terrorists. The major difference is now that terrorism is no longer limited to a particular area or a geographical territory. It has become globalized. Now everyone in the world feels threatened and terrorized. Terrorism is an ideological violence essentially rooted in unconscious human behavior. It shows its heinous form when governed by hypnotic conditioning. Osho points out, “Terrorism is not in the bombs, in your hand, terrorism is in your unconscious.”  Religion, in most cases, has...