India has long been known and is still called by some as the land of magicians and snake charmers. The close association of this country with magic and illusion has a long history and this has added to its fame worldwide. Every age has had its own magicians and illusionists who have played a pivotal role in keep it alive and ticking through the times. The history of magic and illusion in India can be conveniently clubbed into the modern and the ancient periods.
While the ancient period can be
related with the mythological texts wherein certain actions were considered to
be magical since these were beyond the realm of understanding scientifically.
Sages and mystics are also believed to be having the supernatural powers with
which they can create magic. In this sense, magic is understood as a powerful
phenomenon which can be used to make material changes rather than only creating
the illusions.
On the other hand, the modern
illusion or magic is more like a display of skills and is used for recreation,
entertainment as well as learning. In India, this art began to be more
prevalent in the public domain from 18th century onwards. Pir Mohammed Chhel
and PC Sorkar are two names which are famously associated with magic in India.
While the former never performed on stages and for commercial purposes and
restricted displaying of this art only to the villagers and peasant, the latter
is credited with commercialization of this art by showcasing it on stage. PC
Sorkar is said to the Father of Modern Magic in India. He has been the
inspiration behind the many budding as well as established magicians, including
the illusionist Sumit Kharbanda.
Magicians have come up from
different parts of India such as gujarat, West Bengal, Kerala, Delhi,
Karnataka, Mumbai and from other parts as well. This proves that the heritage
of magic in India has been shared commonly across the length and the breadth of
country and the local artists have played important role in popularising this
art in their own regions, in the whole country as well as abroad.
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