Incredible India - Local Culture

We happened to be in Kochi when the annual Shiva Temple Festival and Elephant Pageant took place in Ernakulam, and after leaving Nazar’s home we took the ferry back across to see the elephants being bathed and dressed for the festivities. Unfortunately, the official start time was about three hours later than we thought, so we missed the majority of it... but the elephants were the highlight and I was content. They bring temple elephants, all "tuskers", in from all around the region for this pageant. 

A few days later, we attended a demonstration and performance of Kathakali, Kerala's (the state in India we are in) classical dance drama. We were able to watch the performer apply his makeup, which took almost two hours… longer than both the demonstration and the dance itself! The performer is accompanied by a drummer and cymbalist, and he uses facial expressions and body movements to tell a story. His eye movements and facial expressions are so precise and descriptive it is no wonder that these performers have an 8-year training program.

With Equanimity and Joy