Kada Mati (Gaan) Songs and Games were in vogue around 200 years ago during Durga Puja but it is no longer followed in its original version. But one can witness the ritual in certain places but in a more refined and cultured form.
In ancient times, the Durga puja ground would be soaked in
the blood of the Maha Navami sacrifice. A variety of activities took place
during the Durga Puja celebrations of old Calcutta, including dancing, singing,
crude insults and obscenities (khisti-kheunr), and parading around with the heads
of sacrificed buffaloes, smeared with blood-soaked mud.
Prankrishna Datta of the Dutta family gave a full
description of this in his book, 'Kolikatar Itibritta' (History of Calcutta),
much of which is as follows:
After the sacrifice and the aarti (ritual of light) on
Navami day, the courtyard, which was flooded with sacrificial blood, was the
site for wrestling and various feats and exercises. People would scramble for
the buffalo heads, sugarcane, pumpkins, and lemons, rolling around in the
blood-soaked earth. One person would sit crouched, holding a coconut between
their stomach and thighs, which eight to ten strong men would try to pull away.
This was followed by the 'Kada-Mati' (Mud-and-Blood) Songs.
After the sacrifice, the residents of the house where the sacrifice took place
would smear the sacrificial blood and muddy-earth on their bodies, put the severed
animal heads on their own heads, and go from neighborhood to neighborhood
singing. It was not just buffaloes; there was also a tradition of parading heads
of goats and even horses.
The grandfathers of the households would lead these 'head
processions' with their age-old friends and grandsons, singing. These songs
were known as 'Kada-Mati' songs. They were essentially obscene and vulgar
ditties sung to the tune of Tappa (a style of North Indian classical music).
They were sung without any reservation or modesty, even in front of the women
and daughters-in-law of the house.
There was a system for remembering the lyrics; the
grandfathers would carry notebooks (khata) with the song lyrics written in
them. The wealthy patrons of the time supported the 'Kada-Mati' songs. From the
writings of Mahendranath Datta, it is known that people in those days enjoyed
listening to the 'Kada-Mati' songs.
The tradition of 'Kada-Mati' games was prevalent not only in
Kolkata but also outside it, though the element of obscene songs might not have
been present.
Ranaghat Where The Custom Continues
This custom remains intact today at the Singha family house
in Ranaghat. The Pal family house in Bishwas Para, famous as the Singha house,
celebrates a Durga Puja that is 250 years old. In the past, goats were
sacrificed here on Navami day, but that has now stopped. Now, ash gourds,
sugarcane, and bananas are symbolically sacrificed instead of animals. On
Navami day, the 'Kada-Mati' game is played here, similar to the throwing of
colors during Holi.