Harary can move skyscrapers but can8217;t explain the quot;milk mircalequot;

8220;Magic is distinctively Indian and hence what I do would not qualify to be magic in true sense of the word. 8220;This is largely because of the image of the East as the land of irrationalists 8211; of mysticism and spiritualism8221;.

He believes that magic is anything that audiences think cannot be accomplished8230;Something which seems impossible within the law of physics.

8220;The milk miracle made me realise that magic as is understood in the US is anything which is not possible employing technology8221;, the 37-year-old American says.

Harary, who has done the vanishingact for international mega stars including the likes of pop King Michael Jackson, however, cannot explain how lord Ganesha one day started drinking milk all over India a couple of years ago.

Sanal Edamaruku, secretary, Indian Rationalists Association, however, contends that the divine miracles that india has always been associated with 8211;typified by that milk miracle 8212; are commonplace events which can be practised any time, any day and on any surface.

8220;Non-porous surfaces, including metals, have always been consuming milk and the miracle8217; can be explained by a concept known in scientific parlance as surfacetension8221;, he says adding, the experiment has been shown at least 50 times in front of critical audiences.

Perhaps awed by this Indian miracle, Harary who has been practising the art form for the last 24 years, says 8220;magic has always remained a step ahead of technology. So the major dilemma before a magician today is to keep pace with technology8230;Rather to surf on the edge of it, or it will passyou by8221;.

He says rather than concerned about magic outpacing technology, he embraces technology. 8220;I see it as something to be played with, not to be feared. I show my audiences computer-generated technology and fiber optics on stage8221;.

8220;Performing illusions is really 40 per cent technology and 60 per cent psychology. It is all about creating the most dynamic picture as safely as you can8221;, reveals Harary.

Edamaruku agrees saying all illusions have a scientific explanation and adds this is possible as the human equipment of understanding like eyes and ears can be conjured very fast.

Harary believes in manipulating his audience8217;s energy the same way the best rock shows do and uses the sun8217;s position, the curvature of the earth, weather and other natural forces as against a stage proscenium.

Echoing his views, edamaruku says 8220;It is basically controlling the natural forces to work in your favour8221;. Harary, the illusionist, has created stage illusions also for M C Hammer, Tina Turner, Boyz II Men,and TLC. In fact, his association with music has earned him the title of a rock-n-roll magician.

Magic stunts, Harary says, have become increasingly popular in rock concerts because musicians want to deliver a show comparable to what they can do in videos.

Explaining his unprecedented marriage of magic to rock music, Harary says, 8220;I think MTV8217;s presence has been one of the most important reasons why magic has become such a viable element in rock shows today.

8220;Magic can satisfy the public8217;s craving to see the same feats of technology and imagination on stage that artists freely use in their music videos8221;.

As to the future of the art form, Harary continues to bend it, twist it and change it, developing new principles and bringing the pheneomenon to higher levels.

8220;The magical arts have lain virtually unchanged for 30 years8221;, he says. 8220;It is time to bring them up to the level of sophistication, popularity and acceptance that film, video, music and multimedia now enjoy8221;.

Harary can continue toamaze his spectators for the rest of his life with the 250 plus illusions he owns. But his creative urge forces him to innovate new magics 8212; so he is constantly building new illusions, at a cost of more than 50,000 dollars apiece.

8220;I walk around life like a five-year-old and having discovered it, I develop, augment, amplify and finally realise it8221;, Harary notes.

However, harary who at 13 discovered that by a sleight of hand he could easily fool grown-ups, does not want to try the Indian rope trick where a rope, suspended in the air, coils upwards on which the conjurer later climbs.

8220;It is very Indian and would lose its dignity if performed anywhere else8221;, he explains. But the illusionist wants to stop short of making the Taj Mahal disappear. 8220;I just want permission to levitate it. Taj is a magic in itself and what it has one does not mess around with8221;, he says.