Kaati Enej

Introduction

The history of Kaati Enej (games) dates to the ancient Santal past. Kaati Games are an integral part of cultures and are among one of the oldest forms of human social interaction. Initially, Kaati Games are formalized expressions of play that allow Santal people to go beyond immediate imagination and direct physical activity. Common features of games include uncertainty of outcome, agreed-upon rules, competition, separate place and time, elements of fiction, elements of chance, prescribed goals, and personal enjoyment.

Kaati Games capture the ideas and worldview of Santal cultures and pass them on to the future generation. Kaati Games are important as cultural and social bonding events, as teaching tools, and as markers of social status. Kaati Games were often imbued with mythic and ritual religious significance. Kaati Games were used to teach spiritual and ethical lessons and also as a way to develop strategic thinking and mental skill for the players. 

Games

Kaati Enej is a game of quick reflexes and deft footwork. It requires a keen eye, strong limbs, and expert eye-hand-leg coordination. Pioneered by the Santals, it is traditionally played after the harvest season by teams each comprising minimum of 2 members and maximum is unlimited (Depending on the size of ground/no of players). Every player has a kaati or a semi-circular disc made of tamarind wood and a tarhi or a 6ft bamboo stick. All kaatis lie on the centerline of a rectangular court. Players try to propel the bamboo stick with their feet to hit the opponent's kaati. Every successful hit gets a score.

Types of equipment required

Kaati — A semi-circular disc made of wood

Tarhi — A 6ft Wild Bamboo Stick/pole

Players — Minimum of two and there is not the upper limit of players

Playing field — size of playing field is not determined 

Opponents — Challenger or opponents is must

Referee — The judge of the game is required

Significance of game

Kaati Enej/games is considered to be the only games Santal played since time immemorial. It is also considered as National Games of Santals. Playing kaati is staying attached to Santal culture and roots. Kaati games are having cultural, mythical, ritual, and religious significance. Kaati is the game of power displayed in several social and cultural interactions of Santal. Kaati games also seek a degree of strength and smoothness to hone skills. Playing kaati games require community involvement not only in playing but it starts with making Kaati and bamboo stick. Kaati is sometimes a match-making game among Santals.

Why Kaati Games is needed documentation

With much-hyped sports like cricket in urban and semi-urban areas and football in rural pockets, nobody incoming generations will know that games like Kaati ever existed. Kaati games are on the verge of extinction and rarely played in any instances among Santals. Games are not having much scope and popularity as it is not played.  There is an urgent need for documentation of Kaati games to prevent them from extinction.

                (Mr. Thakurdas Hansda wrote book on "Kaati Khel")