The Hindu : National : Inspired by Harry Potter, a magic school

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 16, 2007
ePaper

National

National

Inspired by Harry Potter, a magic school

P.C. Sorcar

KOLKATA: As the world eagerly awaits the final instalment in the wildly popular Harry Potter series, a top Indian magician says he plans to open a school of magic in the city for those under the boy wizard’s spell.

“Harry Potter has made magic popular in the world. A magic school will be able to attract many people,” Pradip Chandra Sorcar, the 61-year-old illusionist who once seemed to make the Taj Mahal disappear, said.

“I am working on a comprehensive course on Indian magic to be divided into two parts. I am in talks with the State-run Rabindra Bharati university to introduce the course at the post-graduate level,” he said.

“If the talks breaks down, I will start my own university of magic art,” he added.

Ancient knowledge

Mr. Sorcar has wowed generations of Indians with his illusions, which he says are based in 2,000 years of knowledge which has been passed down through the generations by word of mouth, either from father to son or teacher to students. He himself comes from a family of magicians and is assisted on stage by his wife and three daughters.

“Indian magic is a misunderstood art. People think it’s a rabbit out of a hat. I want to prove that wrong,” he said. “It will be a great thing if that art is taught in schools and universities.”

Mr. Sorcar said his next trick would involve the world-famous Dal Lake in the scenic Himalayan region of Kashmir but declined to give further details.

Magic shows once were an important form of entertainment in India, but have increasingly lost their popularity to television shows and the Internet. — AFP

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

National