Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada   

A magical feat to dispel myths

— PHOTO: RAJU V.

A visitor to the day-long ’magic science festival’ organised in Vijayawada takes a look at the items used by a magician on Sunday.

VIJAYAWADA: The air was thick with mysticism. One could sense the veil of enigma and obscurity that engulfed the Atheist Centre, the venue of the Magic Festival that attracted participation of magicians from across the State on Sunday.

Magicians young and old, reputed and rookie, took part with equal enthusiasm in what the organisers of the gala event declared as Magic Science Festival, aimed at enlightening the world on social evils like superstition and black magic.

The scientific principles behind the ‘magical feats’ that spell a cast on the public were laid bare to dissipate ignorance on the part of the gullible sections. “We want to create a genre of truth-seeking magicians committed to the social cause. Magic is an art that can be perfected by anyone by practice. There is nothing above science. Behind every so-called ‘miracle’ performed by people associated with religions, there is science,” asserted Vijayam of the Atheist Centre.

Sharing his experiences during his recent visit to Germany to attend world humanists’ conference, he said they served as an eye-opener and emphasised the fact that ‘truth has the greatest power’.

Noted medical science writer and social activist G. Samaram called for promulgation of stringent laws against ‘superstition’. He said social evils like ‘banamathi’ or black magic prevalent especially in remote pockets of backward Telangana region, could be tackled effectively only if tough decisions were made at the policy-making level.

He said politicians, who toed the line of these ‘swamijis’ and ‘babas’, played a role in propagating this ‘evil’. He said magicians must use the power of science to dispel these myths and spread the light of knowledge.

Circle-Inspector S. Manohar, popularly known as ‘Stick’ Manohar for his performance of magical feats using a stick, demonstrated a few tricks based on mathematical and scientific principles. This was followed by a lecture-cum-demo by magician Vikram on ‘Deceptive Perceptions’.

The wizards participated with great enthusiasm in the magic contest that was to adjudge the best of them and bestow cash prizes worth Rs. 10,000 on them.

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