Kerala - Kochi   

`Trip to Kerala is a pilgrimage'

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: Each trip to the State is a pilgrimage for members of the Sorcar family, said renowned magician P.C. Sorcar Junior. For him, every visit is a tribute to Vazhakunnam Namboodiri, who taught him the art of conjuring.

Mr. Sorcar Junior, who is on at three-day visit to the State, was talking to presspersons. He was accompanied by his daughter, Maneka, who is also a magician in her own right.

There are more reasons for Sorcar to associate with the State. "I believe Kerala is Bengal-extended.

"There is so much in common with Bengal and Kerala that for me, Bengal begins from Darjeeling and ends here," Mr. Sorcar said.

Mr. Sorcar Junior and Maneka will perform at the Thejus Hall, Palarivattom, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Even with little knowledge of Malayalam, Mr. Sorcar could win the hearts of people here. "I speak the language of love," he said.

Mr. Sorcar is in the process of introducing a postgraduate academic course on magic. Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata, has expressed willingness to start a course.

"But it will take one-and-a-half years to prepare the structure of the course," said Mr. Sorcar.

Mr. Sorcar is from the eighth generation of a family dedicated to the art of magic, which began with Krishna Chandra Dev, performing before Emperor Jehangir.

Now, the torch has been transferred to Maneka Sorcar.

"Even in our family, there are not many female magicians. Now, many women have come forward to take up magic as a profession," said Ms. Sorcar.

She also expressed happiness that the Kerala Government here had recognised magic as fine arts, unlike many other States.

She is all for taking magic shows to smaller towns. "Most often, shows are held at metros, where there are proper theatres and infrastructure.

But we saw that show at smaller towns like Coimbatore could create a great impact.

Our land has a great tradition in magic and we should show to this crowd how far the art of magic has advanced," Maneka said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Making a concrete move
People in West Kochi not too sure about receiving adequate water
Duty-free business set to get fillip
Free water connections proposed
`Trip to Kerala is a pilgrimage'
Order to follow CESS suggestions on sand-mining
Reflections on parallel lives
Mega music nite in honour of Jesudas
Syndicate panel submits report on drowning of student in river
CUSAT to receive up to Rs. 1,200 crores for upgrading facilities
Notices to be issued to owners of paddy fields lying barren
Quality of groundwater poor: study
Bird serum sent to Bhopal for tests
Unending woes of the road users
A guiding light for the youth
In need of hygiene
Strike hits CUSAT functioning
Blessed hall tickets
KWA employees seek pay revision
Training on HACCP
Around the City
In Kochi Today
Reader's Mail

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu