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young woman from South Africa sat on a wooden chair under a poster for the Hollywood film Eat, Pray, Love (EPL).

Nadia was waiting at the house of Ketut Liyer, a traditional Balinese shaman who rose to fame thanks to the movie that featured Julia Roberts and Javier Bardem.

It was 8:30 a.m. Liyer’s bedroom door was still closed. Foreign tourists milled about, impatient to meet “the fortune-teller” who was one of the main characters in the film, which was adapted from Elizabeth Gilbert’s eponymous memoir.

Gilbert, who was portrayed by Julia Roberts in the movie, believed what Liyer predicted about her future and love life.

Liyer eventually appeared on his bedroom porch a half hour later. He smiled as he met his first customer. Liyer had just finished breakfasting with his son and assistant, I Nyoman Lantra.

Twenty people were in line that morning, and guides continued to bring tourists to Liyer’s house.

Liyer began by asking his patients’ names in English, and was seen observing the shape of their ears, eyebrows, noses, lips and cheeks.

“Oh, your ears and eyebrows are beautiful. Your lips are as sweet as sugar,” he said.

Liyer then read people’s palms, explaining to people the differences between marriage lines and love lines and predicting the number of children they would have. He then moved to inspect shoulders, backs, calves and legs.

His first eight patients looked happy. They heard almost the same words from the fortune-teller: They were pretty, had a bright future and would find the perfect husband or wife.

“We have the same future. We will have three sons, right?” Ayu, an Indonesian, asked Nadia.

“I’m just having fun. I just want to meet him, the shaman. He looks nice and warm and I like his touch,” Nadia said.

Ayu paid Rp 250,000 (US$28) and Nadia paid Rp 300,000 for 15-minute sessions. Fees depend on the length of the session and how many predictions were requested.

Liyer has a tight schedule and sees 30 patients a day. He rents rooms in the back of his house for those who come to see him from far away.

“Around 60 people come every day, but we can only accept 30 before 5 p.m.,” Lantra said.

Lantra, a middle school teacher, said he would eventually succeed his father.

“I have no other choice. This is our family’s fate. We must continue,” Lantra said.

It is easy to find Liyer’s house in Pengosekan Kaja in Ubud. There are a bright-colored signs at the entrance of the alley near the house and the house itself.

Those who miss the signs should look for the slew of passenger vans and hordes of guides that have become a common sight near Liyer’s house.

“I bring three to five tourists every day. Some even book from overseas, asking to be taken here,” travel agent Komang Putra said.

“They are curious about Ketut Liyer after seeing the movie. They want him to tell them their love lives. And most of them said they were happy after meeting the fortune-teller.”