, kerala The women of the house where the ritual takes place performs the serpent dance (
Sarpam Thullal). Austerities start seven or nine days before the day of the dance. They avoid eating food items that are considered to be impure. The canopy (pandal) where the serpent dance takes place is adorned with palm leaves, geranium flowers, jasmine flowers, chrysanthemum indicum, champaka, lotus, banyan leaf, betel leaf, ripe
areca nut and branches of coconut flowers. The form of the serpent is drawn with white rice powder and colour powder (black, red, green, yellow). The Pulluvar conduct the ritual around the decorated
kalam (the field where the form of the serpent is drawn) in a specific order. The deities Nagas have names as Naagaraajaavu, Naagayakshi, Sarppayakshi, Maninaagam, Erinaagam, Karinaagam, Kuzhinaagam, Paranaagam and Kanyaavu. The two women who represent the Nagas in a possession trance come to the Kalam and sit on the floor with an areca flower in their hands. They circumambulate the Kalam three times before sitting. The serpents are worshiped in front of the Kalam and are offered
Noorum Paalum (in MulluThara Devi Temple) (lime and milk). After the pooja, the head of the family who conducts the Sarppam thullal gives bunches of areca flowers to the performers who start dancing rhythmically. They are supposed to represent the serpent gods, who accept offerings and grant boons to the devotees. The intensity of the dance heightens gradually. It is believed that prophesies which the dancer gives at the point of heightened intensity of the dance usually comes true. They fall on the floor in a trance and rub off the Kalam at the end. The traditional Mulluthara devi temple Sarppam thullal gives Pulluvar songs sung on Aayilyam Pooja — a day which is considered to be very auspicious. The presiding deity of the Aayilyam is the serpent. ==Musical instruments==