Frogs in the pond (About Sarpakavu in Kerala)
Frogs in the pond (About Sarpakavu in Kerala) When I was a boy of 5-6 years, we all lived in our Tharavad (ancestral home), an old Nalukettu hatched by coconut leaves. We had about 2.5 acres of land with five sarpakavu (Abode of Snakes) around our house. The Sarpakavu was a traditional sacred place mostly found in the traditional homes in Kerala, South India. These sarpakavu were inhabited by snakes, and the kavu had several idols of naga rajas(king of snakes), Nagayakshi, Mani nagam etc. The sarpakavu was situated in a small jungle almost circular in shape. Various kinds of trees, hedges, shrubs and medicinal plants grew there, but no trees from the place were ever felled down, nor were any plant cut with any metal. Ceremonial rituals were performed every year and every day oil lamps were lighted to propitiate the snake gods. Adjoining every sarpakavu there were Sarpakulams (ponds for the snakes). Thus there were five ponds adjoining five sarpakavu. Other tha...