In Sarppam thullal rituals, images of the Snake-Gods vary depending on whether they appear in a one, five or seven-day ceremony. Beyond a one-day rite, the kalam are invariably white in the morning, yellow at noon, and of five colours for the evening one.

In the backyard of the house, which served as a school, an immense floor painting of a snake coiled around a tree was rising from the ground under the skilful gestures of several crouching men.

In India, snakes are highly revered and enjoy a prolific profile in Hindu, Buddhist, or Jain legends. Guardians of underground treasures, water spirits, and rainmakers, they are raised to the status of deities.