Serpent Worship and the Pulluvans
Cult and Ritual Performance
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/rosa.26917Keywords:
Kerala, serpent worship, Pulluvans, Sarpathullal, Pulluvan pattu, caste ritualismAbstract
This article presents an empirical study of the ancient ritual of serpent worship in Kerala. The veneration of serpents holds immense significance in Kerala, as they are considered demigods and are particularly revered in the region. With the help of ethnographic fieldwork and of previously published research, the article delves into the profound importance of serpent worship in Kerala, and analyses the myths and beliefs that reveal the real characters of serpents as givers of prosperity and as gods capable of bringing destruction through naga dosham (the serpent curse). It underlines the distinct caste-related factors determining the ritualistic premises of the cult, while analysing the dynamics of the upper-caste Namboodiris and lower-caste Pulluvans towards their shared veneration for serpent deities. The article also seeks to highlight the pivotal role played by the Pulluvans as the ritual specialists for sarpathullal and pulluvan pattu, ceremonies performed to appease the serpent gods.
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