The Pulluvanpattu is a ritual song in praise of serpent deities.
In Kerala, snakes have been worshipped since ancient times. Most Hindu
homes, especially the Nair tharavads have a shrine dedicated to the
serpent gods in the south west corner of the compound. These shrines
are called Sarpakkavu or serpent groves.
The Pulluvanpattu is sung by the Pulluvar community, the bards of
the snake groves. The song is led by the Pulluvan (male member of
the community) to the accompaniment of the Pulluvarkkudam. These bards
act as intermediaries between the deity and the devotees.
In central Kerala, the ritual offering takes the form of the Sarpamthullal
or snake dance. Two women of the community sit in the Kalam,or ritual
drawing made on the floor and move in serpent-like motions. As the
song and music draws to a crescendo, the writhing women, possessed
by the deities, answer the queries of the devotees and forecast the
future before finally erasing the Kalam in a climactic frenzy.
The Pulluvar veena is a smaller native adaptation of the fiddle and
is used by the men of the Pulluvar community. Pulluvarkkudam is a
string instrument that produces the sounds of a percussion instrument,
generally played by the women (Pulluvathy).
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