This is followed by offering of food [ Noorum palum] to the gods, and it is prepared by tender coconut, mature coconut, raw rice, fruits & milk.

Pulluvan pattu , the instruments like kudam, veena & ila thalam are used.

When the kalam is ready , the traditional lamp is lit and starts pooja, the process of involking the serpent gods into the kalam.Invocation is done by silent prayers and floral offerings along with water.For this the flowers of ixora, leaves of thulasi, lotus flower, leaves of koovalam are used.

The kalam is drawn either in front of the sacred grove or in a near by temporary structure with thatched roof.The festival site is cleaned , decorated with leaves of fig tree, mango, areca palm, betel , young unopened leaves of toddy palm or coconut palm, young unopened inflorescence of areca palm.The floor is waxed with a coating of mud, on which designs are made with five different colours made of natural materials.The colours are usually yellow, white, red, green & black representing the five natural elements of this universe.

KALAMEZHUTHU & PULLUVAN PATTU

Kalamezhuthu pattu is performed by the people belonging to the pulluva community .Kalamezhuthu is the initial stage of the ritual during , which colourful pictures of serpents are made using powders of various colours.

The pulluva acts as the chief priest for the ritual and throughout this ritual he is assisted by a group of girls or womens called the paniyalukal.

The sarpakkalam designs are usually Ashtangakkalam, Nagayakshikkalam, Sarpayakshikkalam, Bhasmakkalam, Sudarsanakkalam, Santhathikkalam, Nagarajakkalam, Nagakaniyakkalam & Anathasayanam.

The serpent worship is about 3,000 years old, it became widespread and popular in kerala in the 7th & 8 th century.The idols worshipped in the groves are Nagaraja, Nagayakshi, Chithrakooda kallu, Maninagam, Anjana maninagam & Termite mound.In most of the groves , the deities are seated beneath a tree at the entrance of the grove either on granite or cemented platform or directly on the soil.

The rituals & rites associated with the sarpakavu were found to be of two types. In the sarpakvu owned by Namboothiris rituals are in vedic style involving manthra & thanthra.

In the sarpa kavus of Nair , Ezhava & Thandan , the rites & rituals are in primitive type, which comprises Noorum pallum as it is popularly called as Pulluvan pattu & Pambu thullal.

The main sacred groves are Bhagavathi kavu, Durga kavu or Vanadevatha kavu, Ayyappa kavu or Sastha kavu , Madan kavu or Yekshi kavu & Sarpa kavu. The groves are managed by a village or by a community , some are under a single or group of ancestral families.

Here in kerala three different type groves are seen 1] Primitive groves , mostly seen in tharavadu. 2] Recent groves , built and maintained by recently 10- 50 years old with an extend of few sq. meters. 3] Sacrament devoid of groves,here the deity is a termite mounds , where serpents is believed to be living in the mound.These groves are seen near houses.

These groves are generally dedicated to different gods, goddesses, spirits , demons, ancestors or serpents. It is believed that the groves are under the protection of the presiding deity.

In kerala sacred groves are mostly seen in kollam, alappuzha, pathanamthitta, kannur, kasarkode, and kozhikode districts.

The vegetation in the groves are mainly mangroves, fresh water swamps or other tropical forest types.Dieties worshipped in the groves are mother goddess, male godes and animal godes.

Mother goddess worshiped in the groves is kali .Male gods worshiped in the groves are vaishnav gods, shaiva gods, village gods . The animal gods worshipped in the groves are Tiger & Snake [ serpents ].

In megalithic times man worshipped various wonders and mysteries in nature due to many reasons necessary for his survival.

The concept of sacred groves started in megalithic times when man transforming from hunter to food producer.Though sacred groves are fragments of the original vegetation of a region. The size of these groves ranges from a few meters to kilometers.