It wasn't just about nudity. The humor relied heavily on (words with a double meaning), sarcasm about married life, and the classic "boss-and-secretary" tropes. Because Sinhala is a language rich in idioms, writers could write a sentence that sounded perfectly innocent to a child but had adults rolling on the floor.

The process of Sinhala Wal Paththara involves a thorough examination of an individual's body, particularly the hands, feet, and face. The practitioner, known as a "Wal Paththara," uses a combination of techniques, including palmistry, face reading, and body markings, to interpret the signs and symbols.