Kerala

My last month in India I spent in the cultural center 'Vijnana Kala Vedi' in Aranmula, a little village in the backwaters of Kerala. Here I learned about the basic principles of Ayurveda, how to cook Keralan cuisine and to make kolam patterns with rice powder (see picture).
It's a great way to get some deeper insight in this incredibly rich culture as the teachers shared not only their knowledge of and passion for the different art forms, but also their personal experience. A nice surprise was receiving the sandalwood powder and herbal oil treatments as part of the Ayurveda course, in the Ayurveda village hospital.
As Kerala is very traditional, we enjoyed several festivals in and around the temples with many elephants, loud fireworks, dancing, drumming and all night Kathakali performances.