Those days Maharaja Krishnachandra Roy was ruler of Nadia. One of his Dewans went to Katwa for some work. Durgapuja was approaching, and his camp was set somewhere near Mandalpukur. He came to know that people in the area didnot have enough money to arrange Durgapuja. He decided to sponsor one. Two of the ladies, Shyamasundari and Binodini of the Haadi community in Katwa became the first organisers of Durgapuja there. The name of the Goddess became Haadimaa, though the rituals followed Devibhagabat.
In course of time, both the ladies passed away. After the Dewan died, Bhuban Hazra, the grandson of Shyamasundari took charge of the annual Durga worship festival. But after Bhuban Hazra had passed away, his wife Soudamini didnot have enough means to continue the Puja. The poor lady began praying to the Goddess for help.
One day as she was sitting in the varanda of her home, sad as usual, a little girl came to her and asked for food. Soudamini did not have anything but a few bananas from her banana grove to give her. The girl ate it and left very happy.
On the same night, Soudamini saw the girl in dream. She said, she was the Goddess who has came to meet her. She adviced her to arrange the Puja as simply as possible, avoiding all kinds of grandure, but never to stop the Puja.
This was the time banana stem became part of Durga's food here and Sacrificial Billy goat was replaced by Ash Gourd.
Since almost three hundred years, this Goddess Haadimaa is being worshipped by the people from lower strata of the society (currently called Dalit) following the same rituals.
Hādimā of Katwa, Nadia, West Bengal.
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