• 13:16 @rafialikhan Oh wow! Look who's posting updates! ;-) #
• 13:19 @nishitd Missed you at #BRTFF! Was hoped to catch up in person :-) #
• 13:20 @dhempe @rajasen If you guys do make any plans, do let me know. Will try my best to join in. #
• 13:22 @kashaziz So, it was actually a fake video / spam forward? Or is that the way they want to see it? #
• 13:27 @RajaSen If you are anywhere near MG then you can drop into the Bangalore branch of Strands in Manipal Center. #
• 13:28 @kashaziz Oh! If that's the accepted truth, then it's really a good piece of news... :-) #
• 13:31 @nishitd Did they look like they want to win the test, or happy to have already won the series? :-) #
• 13:33 @Saurabh Oh! If you are sure on all that being done, then possibly you can get to some work? :-) #
• 13:40 @ThePaulDaniels Very many happy returns of the day, Paul. Have a magical one. Best wishes to you and Debbie. #
• 13:42 @nishitd Aah! Yes, theirs good zeal and zest among them... Yesterday too there was a light-hearted "punching" moment between MDD & YS... :-) #
• 15:24 @dhempe Something's wrong with that link... the content area on the page shows an error... #
• 15:52 @mannu Good to know. Just pass it over for "a review" when you are done... :-) #
• 16:14 @RajaSen I am in Banashankari 3rd Block. Just let me know where... and I'll try my very best :-) #
• 16:34 @dhempe Sure! Koramangala should work fine for me, if I am able to join you all. Let know by sms as decided! @RajaSen @nishitd @peegeekay #
• 18:22 @RajaSen Sure thing! @dhempe @peegeekay @nishitd Just let me know where in Koramangala, and I'll meet you all there... :-) #
• 18:34 @dhempe Perfect! See ya there :-) #
• 18:59 Rajnath Singh visits Varun Gandhi in prison; says BJP will not remain silent on this issue! So what have they been doing? #indiavotes09 #
• 19:14 All we hear from BJP on Varun is loud talk and promises! If they had to act, they would have. They must mean to make him an election issue! #
• 19:18 @santoshp Just wait for the flight to land... And everybody will get up, and stand with their luggage as if they are getting off a train! :) #
• 19:28 @daaku Isn't that what it stands for - Help! Search! Rescue! ;-) #
• 19:30 @shwetank If you have local-issued passport it is really quick - mostly within 3 days, in some cases up to a week. #
• 20:37 @daaku Good for you; Hope you do find what you are looking for. If you get further lost or need help there, @rafialikhan lives right there. #
• 22:46 @dhirajbhandary You think we should tell Atanu? RT @nimbupani: Finally, you can get rid of your hotmail accounts for good! is.gd/pi9v #
• 22:56 Meeting up with @dhempe @peegeekay @rajasen @daaku @ashwin was loads of fun :-) #
• 23:06 Heh! RT @inthing: "if electricity is due to electrons, is morality due to morons ??" ... I said WTF. #

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I always thought that blogging was the thing for me, as I normally like to write longer thoughtful (and sometimes thoughtless) pieces. But having pushed it as much as I could, I set up a twitter account a couple of months back; December 3rd to be exact.

And here I am now fully hooked on. So if you are on twitter too, you can follow me at http://twitter.com/nakulshenoy

BANGALORE: Are you one of those who has been fascinated by magic? Have you ever toyed with the idea of being a magician? Have you ever tried learning magic tricks ? Have you ever felt the need to have a hobby that could entertain your close ones?

If you answered YES to any of the above, then The Magic Space in Bangalore has the perfect answer for you! The Magic Space is launching a new Learn Magic course, in the ever-popular two-day workshop format.

To be conducted on February 28 and March 01, 2009 at The Magic Space premise on Girinagar 50 feet road, this learn magic workshop has been put together with the professional and corporate employees in mind, and will provide them with the know-how, training, and the essential tools to take up the art of magic as a hobby.

Magic has been known to entertain all ages. It has been known to be used by doctors and other professionals as a hobby both for their own enjoyment and also to entertain those around them.

The Learn Magic workshop will apprise the attendees with the basic history and theory of magic, and familiarise them with the various genres of magic. Over a highly-packed two day session, accomplished and well-known magicians would enable and equip the participants to perform magic and entertain their friends and acquaintances.

This basic course will provide the fundamentals of magical entertainment, and pave the perfect path for the participants to take up a more active interest in the art of magic. Along with sharing the theory and workings of the magical craft, this workshop also aims at improving one's presentation and public-speaking skills, which are so integral to the art of magical entertainment.

To know more details about LEARN MAGIC -- The Two-Day Workshop, visit www.themagicspace.net or email workshops [at] themagicspace.net or call 9900 970 099.

When I said January 18th 2009 would be the one and only time Beyond Magic would play as a full-evening show, this is not quite what I meant. But the way things have transpired since, I may never want to try anything similar.

Despite repeated requests from the NSG and the Army personnel to refrain from showing the live footage of the anti-terrorist operations at Mumbai, the media is playing out a farce and continuing to show sensitive live footage of the operations.

I was just watching the NDTV guys play out a live act (yes, I choose to call it an act) where they were ostensibly deciding whether showing the footage was jeopardising the operation or not. Then Srinivasan Jain decided to give a live commentary of what was happening as they were requested not to broadcast live footage.

At one point he said, "I think the terrorists inside already know they are being attacked by grenade launchers. So we can now talk about it".

Why can't these otherwise intelligent journalists understand that any information they are sharing could be sensitive to the operation, and in terms jeopardising the lives of the brave soldiers who are fighting the terrorists on our soil.

Even as I type this newscaster Vikram asked Srinivasan Jain to get the camera closed in on his face, so that no sensitive information was going to be shown.

Barely 10 seconds later there was a loud sound. And the camera immediately panned and tilted and zoomed to the window that was targetted by the security forces! And then Srinivasan was right there asking the cameraperson to zoom right in to show the window being damaged, and then asking to zoom out a little for a better view! Perhaps in the excitement he forgot what he was saying a second back?

After a brief silence he is now back saying "thoda sa left mein zoom kare". The bloody morons (excuse me, but I think this expletive is well deserved) are showing the exact windows and floors and wings that are being attacked.

Whatever happened to media restraint? Whatever happened to Media Ethics?

The adrenaline took over! Ethics is only for the textbooks?

For a brief moment there was news that the news media was blocked out in Mumbai. While this was a good move, what prevents these terrorists from getting their information from accomplices outside of Mumbai?

I am totally for a total ban on any and all live footage (visual/audio) being telecast during the operation. I would go to the extent of saying that the media should be held responsible for the deaths of the security personnel whose operations may have indeed been compromised due to the live streaming of the footage, especially the paramilitary forces dropping in to the building, and the NSG moving in for the operations.

Many of these so-called journalist I had held in high esteem in the past. Not anymore. I am today as of this moment totally ashamed of the media behaviour.

I am close to being ashamed of being associated with the craft of journalism.

PS: And in the meantime Mr Srinivasan Jain continues to amaze me by "not showing operational details"!

For a brief moment I had the following as my GTalk status message:
Wanted! For the Indian Government: A backbone and a soul...

Then a close friend pointed out with understandable anguish that the members of the police, fire, and security forces were also the government; the various brave people from the public administration who were involved in solving the latest terror crisis were also the government.

Trying to make a case that my reference was to the ruling party (forming the government) was a battle lost even before it could be started. And understandably so.

So let me try a different approach.


This recent spate of at least 10 different terrorist strikes all across the country in the last one year is slowly but surely poking holes in the internal security set-up of the country. Many questions are being raised to the Indian government which seems to have failed to undertake effective measures to check terrorism on Indian soil.

Among others, the Deccan Mujahideen -- virtually an unheard of organisation until a few months back -- is surely ruling the roost in terms of carrying mass and large-scale terror attacks across the Indian Nation. Or at least being quick and first to claiming the credit for most of these inhuman and evil highly coordinated attacks.

That the top three police officials - who were consistently a pain to the terrorist and criminal organisations - were killed in the initial part of the attacks, points to the intensity with which the terror operations were planned. A news report communicated the shock of the police force when their top officials were martyred, with a sub-inspector recounted the incident amidst shock and sobs.

Checking up with family, friends and acquaintances in Mumbai, brought to light many who had a close call during the terror attack, but had been decidedly fortunate than the hundred dead and two hundred injured. While the legendary resolve of the Mumbaikars came through in their statements, the uncertainty caused by the grim situation also crept through in their statements.

"All well and safe. So far."

"Indeed it's horrific! I'm in Pune and praying for the people of Mumbai."

"Horrendous situation. Still quite chaotic."

"Everything's fine here. At home today. Truly terrifying."

"Was out when the open firing happened. We actually heard the firing and saw police vans everywhere. But luckily we managed to find a cab home immediately. We are safe now."

"We are alive and well, for the time being. And will remain so if Patil permits."

"Situation is very bad out here. We are fine."


In a day or two the media and the rest of us will be talking and heralding the resolve of the Mumbaikars, who will not let anything stop them. But seriously, taking nothing away from their iron-strong resolve, what can a Mumbaikar do? For that matter what can anybody do?

Terror attacks or not, the people (read "the common man") do have to return to work, to continue earning their livelihoods, to carry on whatever it is that they do daily in their lives.

This is a fact of life for most, if not all, of us!


At this moment, I can't help but think to how any other city would cope with such a tragedy. Given the sad state of affairs with regard to the security infrastructure, I can only fear a mayhem.

As the questions that need to be brought up are being raised on the inaction of the Home Minister on the myriad terror attacks, which seem to be continuing unchecked, we also need to remember to pay our gratitude to the numerous under-paid under-equipped under-appreciated security forces who are fighting a daily battle to save our souls.

I do hope the politicians at the helm of the country pull their acts together, better today than tomorrow. For once they can stop bringing in politics into everything.

This is not a time to talk of political ideologies, nor of bringing in religion, nor of breaking the country and its people into castes and sub-castes, and playing vote-bank politics.

This is a time for the Raj Thackerays and Narendra Modis and Omar Abdullahs and Rahul Gandhis of the country to come together to fight for and save our Motherland.

This moment of terror, grief and tragedy is as right a time as any for all Indians to come together as one and resolve to do everything in our power and beyond to fight the enemy that is increasingly affecting our daily lives.

I salute the brave martyrs of my motherland who laid down their lives fighting for the freedom and security of the people of India.

I salute the brave policemen and soldiers who are, even as I write this, exchanging fire with the terrorists holed up in some of the top hotels in Mumbai.

I salute the brave firemen who were busy fighting the flames atop the Hotel Taj -- even as the security forces and the terrorists exchanged bullets!

I salute the resolve of the brave Mumbaikars who will continue to lead their lives against all odds.


True. The terrorists attacked Mumbai.
True, that they targeted some of the hippest hotels in the commercial and cultural capital of the country.
True, that their primary targets seemed to be foreigners staying in there.
True also, that their primary target seemed to be the top three police men who were on a war against terror and terrorists.

Having said that, this has to be seen as an attack on India and Indian-ism. This is an attack on democracy, an attack on freedom, an attack on the people of India.

The Terrorists may seem to have won a battle here, as they mauled down the top three anti-terrorist cops, and also most of the morale of the police force.

But it is a truism and a certainty that the NSG Commandoes, the ATS, the RAF, and the other security and police personnel will win over the situation, and give a fitting reply to whosoever dared attack my country and its countrymen.



Among all this, I can't help but raise a pertinent question: What the heck on earth was the Television Media thinking as they broadcast their up-to-the-bullet LIVE telecast of what was happening at the Taj and the Oberoi hotels?

I sat up in front of my idiot box in the morning shaking my head in disbelief, and wanting to wake up from a terrible dream, as I heard the Times Now newscasters describe every single move that the police and security forces were making and not making!

I could not believe that any journalist could be so foolish (yes, I said foolish) and so moronic (I am not sure that's even a word, but I think it should be!) that he or she was following the actions and plans of the security forces on camera, broadcasting it in realtime and also giving words to what was happening in detail!

"The police are trying to storm the hotel from this door at the back of the nearby building, which has a connection into the hotel"

"You can see the security forces on this balcony of the second floor of the building, getting ready to attack the terrorists"
(Oh!! Did I miss to use the "alleged" word? I don't care!)

"The snipers are now stationed here (with live video footage, of course!) are are trying to get a clear shot of the terrorists from the window"

Did this information and realtime news and imagery help me in any way at all?
No. It did not.

Did this LIVE news footage help any body who was watching this from the safety of their rooms?
No. I think not.

So who did this news best benefit, if any at all?
Yes! You guessed it!

The terrorists who were inside the hotel, keeping a close eye on their hostages (who I sincerely hope are alive and unharmed)! All the terrorists need do is switch on the TV... and watch every plan of attack that the security forces come up with on TV... Live and Realtime!

Tell me my media friends: Are you as dumb as that? Really? Or have we reached a date and time when the viewership and TV ratings have gone on to count above everything else? Even National security!

Think again, Media! Whose side are you on? Or are you really that foolish?

A couple of months back I entertained at a private event in Dubai and sharing the stage with me for the second time in that many events was Harish Pai (as was Sangeetha Mallya, who I have mentioned in the past).



A semi-finalist in the Sa Re Ga Ma Pa World Series TV special, Harish is hugely popular with the Konkanis living in the UAE, and is a regualr feature of most Amchi events there. And why not? Harish has a wonderfully melodious voice and creates wonder with his renditions of popular film and folk numbers.



I am happy to see and hear Harish's karaoke rendition of Kehna Hai now posted at RadioIdli.net.

I hope you like what you hear. I do.

Nakul

Spread Firefox announces that we can be part of a new Guinness World Record by getting the Firefox 3 during Download Day to help set the record for most software downloads in 24 hours!

For more details and to pledge your download, see Spread Firefox

Sangeeta Mallya's karaoke rendition of dil mein tujhe bithaake from the film Fakira has been posted at Radio Idli.

A winner at the Mega-Finals of the Zee TV-produced TV Series Antakshari (held in Goa in 1998), Sangeeta is now based in Dubai with her husband Dr Sandeep Mallya.

I have in the past enjoyed the good fortune to listen to Sangeeta in person, and thank Radio Idli for bringing back those lovely memories, and of course for promoting Sangeeta's special talent.

Do go over to Radio Idli and listen in to Sangeeta's soul-stirring rendition.

Nakul

After months of dedicated effort, The Magic Space is finally ready, and all set to be launched. This Sunday (May 25) will see Bangalore have The Magic Space, when it is inaugurated at 10AM.

With The Magic Space, Bangalore & of course India potentially have a hotspot for magicians from all over India & the world to drop in to -- to meet and discuss the nuances of the art of misdirection.

I congratulate my friend Giridhar Kamath for fulfilling my and many a magician's dream of having a perfect place to get together, and discuss magic. Thanks Giri -- for ONLY you could have done this. I wish you all the success with this latest venture.

More details on what's expected on May 25 and thereafter can be read at my Magical Musings blog.

I welcome you to The Magic Space ...where spells are cast!

Nakul

Can you spot any difference in these articles on Manick Sorcar?

Another Sorcar makes award-winning magic -- By Suman Guha Mozumder, India Abroad


Another Sorcar makes award-winning magic -- Suman Guha Mozumder, India Abroad

Perhaps looking at the P C Sorcar family-tree explains why some things are missing in the "reproduction" on Manick Sorcar's website?!

:-)

A friend forwarded me the following email with the words "What say?":

This is interesting......

"Jana Gana Mana" - Just a thought for the National Anthem! How well do you know about it?

I have always wondered who is the "adhinayak" and "bharat bhagya vidhata", whose praise we are singing.. I thought might be Motherland India ! Our current National Anthem "Jana Gana Mana" is sung throughout the country. [SNIP!]

OKAY! You know what follows! This email forward has been doing rounds for quite a bit now, and keeps cropping up in our inbox every once in a while...

So I thought I would just re-post what I wrote on the Jana Gana Mana controversy way back in November 2004:
Of Songs, Anthem, and controversies...

I hope it will catch the attention of some of my friends who missed it earlier, and give them a thought before they encourage this misinformation campaign with another forward!

Nakul

Being a member of the Jury for the magical competitions at Vismayam 2008 was challenging and fun, but even that could not compare with the utmost joy gained from meeting the doyen of Indian Magic - Magician K Lal from Gujarat.

It indeed was a very special moment when the nonagenarian came visiting The Magic Space stall at Vismayam 2008, and said good things about the products that were on display and sale there.



Hearing appreciative words from Master Magician K Lal about my Essential Card Magic Kit for professional and amateur close-up entertainers was surely the best part of the four day convention for me. Not to mention, entertaining the legend was an enthralling experience that will stay with me all my life.

K Lal ji -- I have to say -- is the one of the most humble and encouraging people I have met, especially in the Magic fraternity.

Kudos to the grand old man of Indian Magic, who is billed as The World's Greatest Magician for his shows the worldover!

Please Note:
K Lal is currently performing in Chennai with his son K Lal Jr. Catch the show if you can!

My friend Giridhar Kamath (of The Magic Shop, Bangalore) is all set to launch a new and revolutionary magic store called The Magic Space in Bangalore.

Unlike the other few stores we have in the country dealing with magical props, The Magic Space is set to be *the place* for magicians from all over the state and country to meet up to discuss the nuances of the art:

The Magic Space, Bangalore</span> is the perfect place for magicians to get together for a tete-a-tete, to exchange ideas, to read magic magazines and books, or just for a cup of tea/coffee; a next generation Magic Shop where you can catch up with magician friends – old and new.

If just that was not enough, you can also experience and buy all kinds of high-quality magical wares here: from the oldest to the latest product in the world market, from the best in genre to your all-time-favourite item.

My recent conversations with some of the top magicians in the country also shows that the excitement is catching. Magician M Yona, Mega Magic Star Kudroli Ganesh, Cardician Shekhar, Indian Houdini Prahlad Acharya, and many more expressed their keenness in holding lectures and presentations at The Magic Space, Bangalore.

Nothing surprising in there, given that Giri has always been giving that extra importance to the quality of the magic apparatus manufactured by him.

And that's enough to get anybody about the new launch and the upcoming activities. Including me!

I wish Giri and his Magic Space all the magical success it deserves, and more...

Yes! I chose to start with the most clichéd title there is! And here’s why.

India since time immemorial has had Maya (illusion) and Indrajal (Magic) deeply entrenched in its folklore, myth and legends. India has been known as the Land of Magic and Mystery right from the days of the very first foreign traveler stepping on to the Indian shores. Various mystical and paranormal occurrences have found a mention in many anecdotes, biographies, and other writings.



Having said that, Indian Magic—by that I mean, itinerant and traditional Indian Magic—has had quite a harrowed and troubled status. During the colonization of India, many a western magician and ‘investigator’ that came to India in search of its elusive mysteries, went on to write anecdotes and books that were nothing more than exposures to the methods of the Indian itinerant magician. Read any of these accounts, and you are left with a rather dubious view of the traditional magician.



For some reason, Indian magic has never been projected as a skill or an art in these accounts, and always looked on as a pseudo-practice of black-magic or skullduggery. In other words, a practice befitting exposure to show it the way it is, to demean it even. Even the legendary trick (that arguably never was) is best known as The Indian Rope ‘Trick’.

No wonder then that the itinerant magic shows have remained shunned by the public, and continue to be looked on with fear and trepidation. Today, the itinerant magician performs only in the streets and nukkads of secondary towns and villages, and has almost been reduced to being a social outcast in his own land.



Indian Magic is in many ways the purest form of magic owing to the simplicity and everyday nature of the props used; in that sense almost prop-less. Mostly in the Bizarre genre, Indian magic deals with decapitations, snakes, scorpions, mediums, readings, not to forget fully-surrounded levitations, vanishes, productions.

Watching the itinerant magician at work is a treat to the eye, especially for magicians, as each performance is nothing short of a seminar in the nuances of misdirection, perfect usage of logic and storytelling.

I consider myself most fortunate to have been able to watch the irrepressible performance of Sri Samjunath Vadi, who at the young age of 83, mesmerized magicians and laypersons alike with his inimitable productions of scorpions and snakes. Truly a master magician, Sri Vadi who after stripping himself to prove nothing hidden on his bare body, transforms a brick to a serpent in less than a blink of the eye!



I have been lucky enough to see this act at least three times, and truly have no idea how he does what he does. Nor would I like to know, for this act to me is the best example of the Real Magic that India, the land of Magic & Mystery has been renowned for.

If you doubt my word, I invite you to witness a live performance of an itinerant magician, and dare you NOT to enjoy it.

PS: This article originally appeared in the Convention Souvenir for Vismayam 2008 - The International Magician's Convention held at Trivandrum between May 1-4, 2008.

PPS: An earlier article on Indian Itinerant Magicians can be found at Mesmerising Indian Magic...

Returning to Bangalore on Sunday evening we encountered this rather interesting (and adventurous?) mode of public transportation!





These photos were taken at the Nelamangala Traffic Signal, where the traffic policeman seemed not to notice this blatant violation of traffic and safety laws.





If that was not enough, look at the first photo closely, to notice that the registration plate is BLANK! No license plates!

Disney Magic Show is playing at the Koramangala Indoor Stadium at Bangalore, and true to its name teleports us to the magical world of Walt Disney.

This two-hour show brings our way a delightful show hosted by two human magicians - Benny and Brad, and brings us many magical moments through Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck and of course, the irrepressible Goofy.

Mickey, Benny, and Brad all take turns at performing some excellent illusions, designed by Jim Steinmeyer. Being a Disney show, the production is rich and classy, further strengthened by an interactive presentation.

Truly a children's show, adults will also relive their childhood as various cartoon characters make an appearance, in the fairy tale inspired acts. Transported to Alice's Wonderland, we meet Alice, Mad Hatter, and the Rabbit. Cinderella, Belle, Jasmine, Snow White, and the Fairy Godmother come by to make an appearance too!

Based on the Saturday evening show I was a spectator to, I would rate it a 4.0 out of 5 on entertainment, 0.5 less owing to bad audio amplification. The experience of what was essentially a highly interactive and entertaining show was reduced due to the problems of clear amplification.

To rate it purely on a magic front, I would rate it at 3.5 out of 5. While a couple of illusions like the double levitation were brilliant, the rest were pretty much run of the mill.

All in all a good show to watch, at least for the entertainment is provides, to the child in each of us. A must watch, once.


Nakul

Umesh Shebe (a close friend of mine) is hosting his first solo painting exhibition Pratibimb: Reflectionsof Life... on the 1st and 2nd of February, 2008 at the Alliance Francaise, Bangalore. Pratibimb: Reflections of Life will feature Umesh's collective work of drawings, sketches, abstract paintings and modern art.

Today's Deccan Herald (January 17, 2008) carries an article on Page 1 of Metro Life:




For more information regarding Umesh Shebe and Pratibimb: Reflections of Life... please do visit www.ushebe.com

Do pitch in and help spread the word about Umesh's painting exhibition. Most importantly, do drop in at the Alliance Francaise on that Friday and Saturday (Feb 1 and 2, 2008).

Hope to see you there!

Nakul