Updates from The Magic Space

Here's a short note about the upcoming events that are being held at The Magic Space, Bangalore over the next couple of weeks:


Expert Magic Session

Sanjay Balsawar hosts the ninth Expert Magic Session for Magicians at The Magic Space in Bangalore on Sunday February 8th 2009.


Learn Magic -- Two-day Workshop in Magic Appreciation

A unique two-day workshop in magic appreciation called LEARN MAGIC is being hosted by The Magic Space on February 14-15. This unique 2-day workshop in magic appreciation has been put together specially with the working professional in mind and will provide the attendees with the know-how, training, and the essential tools to further their interest in the art of magic.

Nakul

PS: Updates from  The Magic Space are now also available via Orkut Communities & Facebook Pages.

Creating magical moments...

A journalist recently asked me the age-old question: "What is Magic?"

Without batting an eyelid, I replied: "Something that creates wonder!"

And thoughts raced through my mind... Thoughts I had not listened to before.

When you witness a Hariprasad Chaurasia or a Zakir Hussain perform, you are so wonderfully impressed, and can only say, “It was magical”!

The maestros create magic with their music. They create a wonderful and mystifying feeling that touches one and all, and leave us in a state of enchantment, of magic.

And then there is this field we are associated with – called Magic. Most of us perform magic, only because that is the name: like music.

But as the maestros take Music to the level of Magic, shouldn't we who call our craft by that name, try to make our performances wonderful, mystifying and of course enchanting; in another word, Magical?

Should we not aspire to take our craft and its performance to the levels of Magic?

Should we not be looking at creating a magical moment for our audience each time we are performing something?

Should we not be touching our audiences’ lives and minds in a way, that they remember being entertained by us for the rest of their life?

PS: This article originally appeared in the June 2008 issue of the VMN.

Magic in the News!

Shailaja Tripathi Taneja presents a well-written article in The Hindu today on how "Magic is in the air — on telly, websites and dedicated shops".

The article With a wave of that wand which appears on the front page of The Hindu's magazine supplement Metro Plus Bangalore features quotes from Magician Chandrashekar, Illusionist Prahlad Acharya, and of course, yours truly.

In an adjoining article Charmed circle, Shailaja about The Magic Space, where "you can watch magic, read about it, buy magical wares and even learn it".

The Magic Space opens in Bangalore...

Sunday May 25 2008 saw The Magic Space open in Bangalore for magicians and magic lovers alike.

I have posted some photos of the memorable get-together that was organised for the inauguration of The Magic Space at Google Photos.

Click here for this and more photos of The Magic Space

I will post a write-up about the event as soon as I can.

Where’s the magic? Where’s the entertainment?

Vismayam 2008 saw over 750 magicians from India and abroad convene to Trivandrum. As always, the adherence to time was admirable and likened by many to the ways of the Indian Army! The overwhelming success of this well-organized event adds yet another feather in the cap of the Magic Academy, led ably by Gopinath Muthukad.

I am privileged to have been part of the august international jury, and use this forum to congratulate the winners of the competitions. Being a jury member for both preliminary and final rounds accorded me the chance to watch every single competition act.

The level of competition I must say was disappointing to say the least. The Best Entertainer competition was at best non-entertaining. Dariel Fitzkee once said, “While it is true that the audience may be there because he is a magician, it is even more true that his spectators are there because they expect to be entertained – entertained by magic”.

Hashim’s performance (along with a couple of others) was clearly in a league of its own. Truly, one of the very few acts that made the foreign magicians take notice; even state out loud “Finally! Some magic!”

Many may not like reading this, but seriously – Is this the best we can do? How many acts that appeared can consider competing at the forthcoming Magic Olympiad – FISM 2009 in China?

PS: This article originally appeared in the May 2008 issue of the VMN.

When journalists goof up...

Can you spot any difference in these articles on Manick Sorcar?

Another Sorcar makes award-winning magic
-- By Suman Guha Mozumder, India Abroad


Another Sorcar makes award-winning magic
-- Suman Guha Mozumder, India Abroad

Perhaps looking at the P C Sorcar family-tree explains why some things are missing in the "reproduction" on Manick Sorcar's website?!

:-)

Meeting K Lal, the doyen on Indian Magic

Being a member of the Jury for the magical competitions at Vismayam 2008 was challenging and fun, but even that could not compare with the utmost joy gained from meeting the doyen of Indian Magic - Magician K Lal from Gujarat.

It indeed was a very special moment when the nonagenarian came visiting The Magic Space stall at Vismayam 2008, and said good things about the products that were on display and sale there.



Hearing appreciative words from Master Magician K Lal about my Essential Card Magic Kit for professional and amateur close-up entertainers was surely the best part of the four day convention for me. Not to mention, entertaining the legend was an enthralling experience that will stay with me all my life.

K Lal ji -- I have to say -- is the one of the most humble and encouraging people I have met, especially in the Magic fraternity.

Kudos to the grand old man of Indian Magic, who is billed as The World's Greatest Magician for his shows the worldover!

Please Note:
K Lal is currently performing in Chennai with his son K Lal Jr. Catch the show if you can!

A Land of Magic called India…

Yes! I chose to start with the most clichéd title there is! And here’s why.

India since time immemorial has had Maya (illusion) and Indrajal (Magic) deeply entrenched in its folklore, myth and legends. India has been known as the Land of Magic and Mystery right from the days of the very first foreign traveler stepping on to the Indian shores. Various mystical and paranormal occurrences have found a mention in many anecdotes, biographies, and other writings.



Having said that, Indian Magic—by that I mean, itinerant and traditional Indian Magic—has had quite a harrowed and troubled status. During the colonization of India, many a western magician and ‘investigator’ that came to India in search of its elusive mysteries, went on to write anecdotes and books that were nothing more than exposures to the methods of the Indian itinerant magician. Read any of these accounts, and you are left with a rather dubious view of the traditional magician.



For some reason, Indian magic has never been projected as a skill or an art in these accounts, and always looked on as a pseudo-practice of black-magic or skullduggery. In other words, a practice befitting exposure to show it the way it is, to demean it even. Even the legendary trick (that arguably never was) is best known as The Indian Rope ‘Trick’.

No wonder then that the itinerant magic shows have remained shunned by the public, and continue to be looked on with fear and trepidation. Today, the itinerant magician performs only in the streets and nukkads of secondary towns and villages, and has almost been reduced to being a social outcast in his own land.



Indian Magic is in many ways the purest form of magic owing to the simplicity and everyday nature of the props used; in that sense almost prop-less. Mostly in the Bizarre genre, Indian magic deals with decapitations, snakes, scorpions, mediums, readings, not to forget fully-surrounded levitations, vanishes, productions.

Watching the itinerant magician at work is a treat to the eye, especially for magicians, as each performance is nothing short of a seminar in the nuances of misdirection, perfect usage of logic and storytelling.

I consider myself most fortunate to have been able to watch the irrepressible performance of Sri Samjunath Vadi, who at the young age of 83, mesmerized magicians and laypersons alike with his inimitable productions of scorpions and snakes. Truly a master magician, Sri Vadi who after stripping himself to prove nothing hidden on his bare body, transforms a brick to a serpent in less than a blink of the eye!



I have been lucky enough to see this act at least three times, and truly have no idea how he does what he does. Nor would I like to know, for this act to me is the best example of the Real Magic that India, the land of Magic & Mystery has been renowned for.

If you doubt my word, I invite you to witness a live performance of an itinerant magician, and dare you NOT to enjoy it.

PS: This article originally appeared in the Convention Souvenir for Vismayam 2008 - The International Magician's Convention held at Trivandrum between May 1-4, 2008.

PPS: An earlier article on Indian Itinerant Magicians can be found at Mesmerising Indian Magic...

Vismayam 2008 - International Magicians Convention announced

I just received an update from the Magic Academy Trivandrum announcing Vismayam 2008 - The Internation Magicians Convention in Kerala, India. This will be hosted from 1 to 4 May 2008 at Trivandrum, Kerala.

Here's the information received till now...

Nakul

---

Magic Academy to host international magic convention

Thiruvananthapuram: With its high organisational credentials proven through three earlier mega events in magic held as Vismayam 98, Vismayam 2000 and Vismayam 2006, now on the anvil at Magic Academy is an international convention of magicians to be held on 1-4 May 2008.

Christened Vismayam 2008, the impending event is going to be a gift to the magic fraternity from the Academy on the occasion of its 12 th anniversary. The four-day magic fair will be the biggest ever conglomeration of magicians from different parts of the world.

Vismayam 2008 will find the modern magic and antique forms of legerdemain including among others, the traditional Indian street magic merging together reinforcing the feel of oneness in the magic world.

In the path of unbeatable records

Thiruvananthapuram: It was all a modest beginning. Exactly one year after its inception, Magic Academy cut the first birthday cake at Kerala Magic Fest in 1997. Though of limited magnitude, it was enough to bestow the Academy with great aspirations for the coming years. The break of May 1998 found Vismayam 98, a convention par excellence that set a native model for organising a well-scheduled, time-managed magic festival. Just a couple of years after, the Academy came up with Vismayam 2000 that set a professional hallmark in the convening of an international magic convention. Among those who assembled for the December festival were the widely admired stars in magic including Fukai (Japan), Jorge Blass (Spain) and lady magician Valerie (France). Three days of Vismayam 2000 saw professional arrangements, judicious time management and dedicated service being provided to delegates.

The 10 th anniversary celebration of the Academy titled, Vismayam 2006 held in May last, also went beyond expectations to leave indelible impressions as if an impeccable magic convention could have, in the minds of participating magicians. Mazma, the first-ever festival of street magicians held in Dec. 05 is also considered as a glaring achievement for the Academy.

Vismayam 2008 kindles aspirations

Thiruvananthapuram: "Earlier it was an imposing dream in our minds. But now, Vismayam 2008 is visible in the magic horizon as a nascent lodestar of hopes", says the Executive Director of Magic Academy, Gopinath Muthukad.

When the very first sign of an international magic convention was conveyed six months ago during the decennial celebration of Magic Academy, the magic fraternity reciprocated to the idea with an upbeat response.

Give the best, get the best, share the best and benefit to the best of your levels, would be the slogan for Vismayam 2008, as per the minutes of a recently held Steering Committee of the Academy. Through Vismayam 2008, the Academy's effort will be to outshine its own benchmark in the conduct of magic conventions.

MARC to host the fair

Thiruvananthapuram: MARC (Magic Academy Research Centre), a centre of excellence in the art of magic, established by the Magic Academy inside the government owned KINFRA Film and Video Park at Kazhakuttam, Thiruvananthapuram will be the venue for Vismayam 2008. Here the sumptuous mix of state-of-the art facilities and nature's grace is expected to allure the hearts of delegates assembling for the four-day festival. Sprawling 75 acres of the KINFRA land has attained magnetic charm due to lush topography fondled by the fresh breeze that carry the cool of an adjacent lake.

Rules, regulations charted for Vismayam 2008 international magic convention

Thiruvananthapuram: Rules, regulations and registration procedures for the Vismayam 2008, the forthcoming international magic convention slated for 1-4 May 2008, have been finalised at Magic Academy.

Academy's Executive Director, Gopinath Muthukad chaired a meeting held in this regard on 13 th at Magic Academy Research Centre (MARC), the proposed venue of the event, at Kazhakuttam here.

This meeting was attended by magicians, Prahlad Acharya, Mhelly Bhumgara, Kaizad Bhumgara and R. Rajamoorthy; Academy's Chartered Accountant, M.B. Sanilkumar; Administrator Jayakumar and Asst. Editor of VMN, K.P.Sivakumar. Convention brochure enclosed with registration forms and list of terms and conditions will be sent to magicians by the end of this month.

Table below shows the three categories of registrations open for domestic and foreign magicians.

Country	Category of Registration
	A	B	C
India & SAARC	Rs.1500 Without accommodation	Rs.1750 Dormitory can be shared for free	Rs.2000 Double room can be shared for free
Others	$ 150 Without accommodation	$ 250 Non AC Room for free	$ 350 AC Room for free

HIGHLIGHTS

* Performance by the world's greatest magicians
* Biggest prizes ever offered
* INR.100000 mega prize for the star of the fair
* Four categories to pluck a prize
* Early bird incentives
* Air-conditioned convention venue
* First-ever test to decide Best Entertainer
* Parade for displaying your traditional dress
* Registration limited, celebration unlimited!

Details can be availed from magicacademy@gmail.com. Website to be launched soon