Young Potters

“Watch this,” he says,and fixes his gaze at a pair of spectacles on a table. “Up,” he speaks softly,yet dramatically,moving his fingers slowly over them and as a stunned crowd watches,the glasses begin to rise in the air. He takes a bow with a flourish and says,“We don’t need Harry Potter’s famous charm Wingardium Leviosa.”

Lured by Pottermania,films like Koi Mil Gaya,television talent shows,and the ever fascinating world of magic,many youngsters like Kapoor and Chand are lining up to learn the tricks. Sumit Kharbanda,who runs the Gift N Magic store in Karampura in West Delhi talks animatedly about how 150 students turned up for his magic classes at the Science Museum near Pragati Maidan during the summer vacations. “This was the highest we’ve ever seen,” he says before rushing off to attend to a child who wants to buy a wand and cloak from his store. Courses by various independent magicians and schools vary from daylong workshops to fortnightly affairs to lifelong lessons,with schools like the DSM and Magic Academy of India,Delhi,issuing certificates to students. Fees average around Rs 3,000 per month though DSM also teaches several students for free according to the guru shishya parampara. “For many children,the fascination with magic begins and ends with Harry Potter. We teach them how every trick is based on science,not wands and charms,” says Nishad,who gives private tuitions in magic and had children as young as six turning up to learn how to pull out pigeons and rabbits from hats.

Rajkumar adds that children are taught according to their age and IQ. Mohit Babbar,a 14-year-old student of St Lawrence School,has been learning for one month and says his concentration level has increased phenomenally. “I love card tricks because there are so many things you can do with cards. Also,the tricks are based on Mathematics and science,so suddenly my interest in them has grown.” As a newcomer,he has been taught only basic tricks that take between one minute and a day to learn. “My dream is to perfect the art of levitation,” he smiles.

Nishad,who has performed across India for four years,says an encouraging number of students stick on despite academic and financial pressures. “Learning magic is easy in the beginning when we teach tricks with stuff that is easily available like pens,pencils and coins. Later,students need to buy props like silk cloth and apparatus and the expenses begin to rise,” he says.

Rajkumar sees the number of students rising as new-age parents become aware of how magic helps in confidence building. “Children are taught how to talk,smile and conduct themselves on stage. Their presentation and diction are flawless and they become popular among their classmates,” he adds. His dream — to teach the great Indian rope trick to his young students.

Contact: Delhi School of Magic: 9312210577
Gift N Magic: 32935825
Amar Singh Nishad: 9211460986