Conjurers cast a spell on Delhizens

SHOWTIME

A young girl dressed in a shimmering attire took to the stage and cast her spell. And lo and behold! out came the white pigeons and dices from her magician’s hat!

Her facial expressions synchronised with her hand movements as young Zenia performed one trick after another making the audience’ eyes pop out with amazement. 

Watching a magician perform tricks is always a delight. Even adults attending a magic show become like kids! Such is the spell of magic which charms, excites, engrosses and elicits surprise reactions. Not surprising then that the recently concluded International Magic Festival, held at Dilli Haat, INA left Delhizens asking for more.

The three-day event organised by Delhi Tourism saw Delhiites across board enjoying the allure of different types of magic. More so, as the event this year, to facilitate a wider audience was organised at all the three Dilli Haats – INA, Janakpuri and Pitampura. With this festival, the organisers are doing their bit to carry forward the tradition of magic in India, which has a long history, and also provide a platform to young and old magicians to show their art to the world. 

Zenia being of them, did all it takes to prove that magic is still one of the most admired crafts in India. As people crowded near the stage and children sat below to be able to raise their hands when a magician required, the 17-year old Zenia from Mumbai performed simple tricks in a beautifully choreographed manner. 

Her act coupled with peppy music brightened the dull faces of all present. In between her trick of changing a yellow rose to red, she even changed her clothes to come dressed in a sari in the end.
“Magic is an art to fool people and make them smile,” says the young magician who belongs to a family of magicians. 

“My father Mhally is renowned and my elder sister is a world champion. My juniors in school call me ‘magic didi’ and always surround me with requests to show them some tricks. But to participate in the festival this time I had to miss my exam,” informs Zenia who is presently in Std XII. 

In recent times, technology has changed the face of how magic is performed. Engine­ered acts, research and soph­isticated equipments have brought a new era of magic in the world. An example of this was the performance of Mamada from Bangkok. His entry and exit from the stage was marked by bursts of props such as party-poppers. 

In between, he displayed his practised skill in magic with the help of entangled rings (that couldn’t be separated by young children) and playing cards (that flew in the air on his command)!

This was the international magician’s first trip to Delhi, who has had his eyes on magic products made in India. “I like India because people here are sincere,” says Mamada who has worked as a sound engineer in the past and uses his knowledge of technology to improve his magic. “Among Indians, I like Junior Sircar’s magic,” says the magician in his broken English.

There were other magicians like Kabir and Rohan who enthralled the audience with their mentalist magic and rope tricks respectively. Especially the later who shifted the knot in a rope making people open their mouths in amazement and reiterate the question – ‘How did he do that?’ Well, this is what magic is all about – surprise!