Legendary magician P C Sorcar, Junior, son of internationally famous magician P C Sarkar, announced here on Thursday  that he has decided to hang up his magic wand and pass on the same to his eldest daughter Maneka Sorcar in keeping with the family tradition.
“It’s time that I  make room for my daughter who, I believe, has shaped up well; and the rest, time will tell,” Mr Sorcar told newsmen at his South Kolkata residence.
“It is one of the proud moments of my life as I feel that my daughter will carry on the golden tradition of my illustrious father who charmed the world with his profound wisdom of magic.”

Great responsibility
“It’s a great responsibility and I am not sure whether I could live up to the expectation. Nevertheless, I’ll try my best,” said a beaming Maneka, 21,  as Mr Sorcar looked on smilingly. Incidentally, Maneka is the first woman in the history of magicians in the world to have kept up a family tradition by embracing the profession.
“It’s a conscious choice on my part to opt for my father’s profession and there has been no coaxing on his behalf,” said Maneka.
“I am feeling a bit nervous, for the wand is a great tradition which has been handed over to me, ” she said.
“I hope the audience will give me the time and an opportunity to prove myself,” she said as she received a hug from her father, who stood next to her attired in his favourite and traditional dress of a magician.
In a fitting tribute to a tradition that has made many Indians proud, behind them, on the wall hung a massive oil painting of the great master P C Sarkar, the senior, whose magic cast a spell everywhere he went.

Two-hour show
“I want people to judge me on the basis of my performance,” said Maneka, flanked by her parents and two other sisters.
She is slated to perform a two-hour show in the city later this month.
“I am looking for the day when I can perform independently. I’d like to dedicate that performance to my father and grand father without whom I am nobody,” Maneka said as she struggled to control the emotions welling up within.

Wasn’t the retirement decision quite sudden ?
“Well, I don't think so; because I have been grooming Maneka for quite some time and I am keen to see how she has shaped up and performs,” explained Mr Sorcar whose gili-gili-gili-gili-gey ( a typical mantra of magic) has almost become a household phrase to illustrate powers of sorcery.