In South India, in the state of Kerala, a tradition of ephemeral painting dedicated to the gods continues from father to son.

M. Kurup goes to temples and houses in order to perform an auspicious ritual called Kalam eluttu pattu. He will be drawing the painting directly on the ground.

At home, he crushes the mineral and vegetable for the coloured powders to be used for the graphic representations. The black colour is obtained by burning the paddy husk, white comes from pulverized rice and green from the leaves of an acacia, yellow from powdered turmeric roots and the red from the mixing of lime and turmeric.

Mr Kurup hands down his knowledge of forms, colours and ritual songs to his son who acts as his assistant. Both invoke the presence of the goddess through mantra and mudra then sing her qualities and deeds with the accompaniment of an Idekka drum.