Kumily

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We went to Kumily and planned on staying no more than 2 days...we ended up staying one week and it was one of our favorite place. The people are amazingly sweet, there is so much to do and see. We've made friends with a family, they are renting a hut close to the Thekady park that's called "french bakery restaurant", Subha makes amzing food with fresh vegetables and makes it to your taste. Their son Hemant is a lovely boy of 5 that speaks a little english and is full of joy and smiles. Their hut has only 2 rooms, the kitchen in wich they sleep at night and the other room with 2 tables, a fridge and a tv. So it is their home and restaurant at the same place. It#s a great place and I recommend it to anyone going to Kumily.
We also made friends with the Kalari figters holding a show every evening at 6pm, Kalari is the most ancient martial art and believed to be the art from wich every other martial art in the world comes from. The fighters start training at the age of 6 and most of the ones performing there were about 20 to 28 years old. They were amazing, friendly and fun. We taught them a bit of poi and played freesbee with them...
we also went to see the Kathakali performers, they are trained from really young age and the training lasts 10 years to make a play without any word but with facial expression (24 main).
we also went on a boat ride in the natural reserve of Thekadi for animal spotting, and we did spot wild elephants.

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Photos

Cute girl
In the boat ride, this little girl was so cute. Her parents had painted the Om symbol on her forhead, very common to protect the kid from evil

The fighters
This is the opening rituals

Jumping through fire
The last stunt of the show

With the Kalari fighters
After we performed fire poi to show them.

Kathakali artists
They are applying their make up and it takes up to one hour, the colour is made of natural products.

Make up
Just this is a real art in itself

Make up and costume
This is Balabadra

Make up and costume
This is Krishna