[Editors' note: We received a much anticipated dispatch from Kerala, India reporting on the first Mazma (celebration) of traditional street magic.
The event attracted folks from around the world to watch,
perform, learn, and keep alive this seminal form of magic. We've
covered the preparations for this event on Quinlan's Inside Magic and are happy to report that it exceeded the already high expectations.
Congratulations to Gopinath Muthukad for his incredible efforts
on behalf of all magicians and for his success in this inaugural event].
Traditional magic of India has been a subject of enduring enigma for magic fans all over the world.
The pace of progress in the fields of science and technology has
gifted a tint of modernity to our native magic too. If we go by the
words of Wouter Bijdendijk, a member of Dutch Magic Union, ‘foreigners
still find a magic charm in the name India itself’.
 |
| Ashique Hussain of Delhi |
The 27-year-old Wouter had been in Thiruvananthapuram to attend Mazma,
the first national festival of street magicians conducted by Magic
Academy on 10, 11 December, under the aegis of the Department of
Culture, Government of Kerala.
Needless to say that Mazma was a creation born in the inventive brain of our own Houdini, Gopinath Muthukad.
Wouter, who even performed a unique Indian-styled levitation act in
the city as a forerunner to impending festival, was just one in the
consortium of foreign magicians, who were irresistibly beckoned by Mazma.
Indian magic has an age-old history frilled by glittering feats
including the Great Indian Rope Trick, Green Mango Trick, Indian Basket
and the Cups and Balls contributed by the doyen of Kerala magic,
Vazhakunnam Neelakantan Namboodiri.
“These items are evergreen in the hands of our street magicians.
Indian street magicians are guardians to several unexplored and
uncommon routines in magical art that have been passed on through
vagrant generations”, says Gopinath Muthukad.
It was this observation that his Academy came forward resolutely to salvage the unsung heroes of the streets.
State of street magicians in India is highly deplorable.
They live in slums and street sides deprived of all basic elements
of dignity including shelter, food or education. In a face-to-face with
the media, street magician from Kerala, Shamsudeen lamented that a full
day show fetches him a meager amount of Rs.100 or 250 at the maximum.
“Urban development has left us into a sheer state of insecurity.
Authorities have totally neglected us who live out of magic shows.
We are no more allowed to pull crowds at street sides” complained magician Ashiq Hussain from Shadipur of Delhi.
Mazma became a stage for these stars of the streets to
unleash their inherent talent. There were competitions and the hefty
prize money announced for the winners doubled their enthusiasm.
Around 50 adept teams of street magicians from Kerala, Tamil Nadu,
Andhra Pradesh, Gujrat, Rajasthan and Delhi…
Continue reading Mazma Huge Success!
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