A ‘Magical Trip’ to road safety

Accidents are like the Damocles’ sword, tells magic show


Gopinath Muthukad presents his latest trick for generating traffic awareness as Transport Minister, Mathew T. Thomas and M.L.A., V. Sivankutty look on.

Thiruvananthapuram: Accidents on roads are like the sword of Damocles. It can happen at any time. Only your readiness to obey traffic rules keeps you at safer distance from this sword. This was the message send by Gopinath Muthukad’s latest magic feat here on 6th of Jan. The show was held on a city road under the joint auspices of the Transport Department, the Department of Information and Public Relations (I&PRD) and the City Police.

Transport Minister, Mathew T. Thomas inaugurated the event whereas M.L.A., V. Sivankutty presided over. Transport Commissioner, Aanantha Krishnan, City Police Commissi oner, Ravada Chandrasekhar and Director, I&PRD, P.K. Lal were also present.

Before the show, the magician gave a short speech on the necessity to obey traffic rules. Spectators watched the climax with a bated breath as the huge sword made a free fall over the magician’s head. A few seconds passed and every one heaved a sigh of relief only after seeing the magician emerging with a smile. Removing the helmet from his head the magician said: “See I observed all traffic rules, wore a helmet and my life was duly saved”.

Poll result (June 2008 - 2)

Our readers say, Muthukad's 'Monsoon Magic' should give importance to:

Mosquito control 38%

Controlled use of plastic 34%

Water conservation 26%

Cast your vote now on an entirely new subject! Find the polling booth right on top corner of side bar.

Previous polls: JANUARY ( 1 2 3 4) FEBRUARY ( 1 2 3)MARCH (1 2)APRIL ( 1 2 3 4 5 MAY (1 2 3 4) JUNE (1)

'Monsoon Magic' brings a rain of awareness messages

Thiruvananthapuram: Maverick of magical messaging, Gopinath Muthukad along with his team has come up with a statewide tour with awareness magic shows against seasonal epidemics. The magical mission is held under the auspices of the Information and Public Relations Department (I & PRD). As part of the mission the Magic Academy will be presenting free magic shows titled, 'Monsoon Magic' in the district headquarters starting from Kollam on 6th June. After touring till Kasaragode, the mission will formally conclude in Thiruvananthapuram on 21st June.

Monsoon Magic will be a combination show that underlines the importance of preventing epidemic outbreaks, through environmental conservation. The show sends vehement call to observance of dry day to control mosquitoes, conservation of water and preservation of our environs green and tidy.

The performance begins by showing a mosquito biting a sleeping girl and tells how an epidemic spreads from one man to many others. The magician invites his spectators to join hands with the vector control mission. There is a magic number to show how dry day can be observed by keeping household utensils and vessels in an inverted position thereby preventing unwanted water from getting collected in them.

'Screen magic' and 'shadow stunt' are tricks based on light and sound technology. 'Screen magic' teaches about the judicious use of water, controlled application of plastic, hygienic preservation of food and prudent disposal of solid wastes. Towards the climax, the show introduces a Malayalee who breaks the bondages of diseases by upholding the slogan of pollution free Kerala.

The Monsoon Magic show ends with resonating verses of Sugathakumari in praise of the rain. On the magic stage, forming an enchanting backdrop for the show, will be a photograph by late Victor George who was a photographer with the Malayala Manorama.

Screened prior to the magic shows will be a video documentary released by the I&PRD on the second anniversary of the State government and a national integration video souvenir of Mr. Muthukad's Vismay Swaraj Yatra from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. An exhibition vehicle of I&PRD will also be set ready beside the magic venues.

Itinerary of Monsoon Magic: June 6 (State-level inauguration, Kollam), June 7 (Alappuzha), June 8 (Pathanamthitta), June 9 (Kottayam), June 10 (Idukki), June 11 (Ernakulam), June 12 (Thrissur), June 13 (Palakkad), June 14 (Malappuram), June 15 (Kozhikode), June 16 (Wayanad), June 17 (Kannur), June 18 (Kasaragod), June 5 (Formal culmination, Thiruvananthapuram).

Teen magician’s ‘Eco-Magic’ marks Environment Day at Magic Academy

Magician Gopinath Muthukad has shown to the world that magic is a palatable medium for conveying virtuous messages in the society. He has set the ball rolling by performing a nationwide ‘Gandhi Mantra’ and statewide ‘Illusion against Pollution’ upholding Gandhian values and ecological messages.
When World Environment Day was observed solemnly at his Magic Academy on 5th June, quite expectedly, the main attraction became an environmental-awareness generating magic show by one of his young disciples, Abhinraj. 17-year-old Abhinraj’s magic messaged on certain pertinent principles of nature love and environmental conservation.
The magician distributed empty envelops to Kendriya Vidyalaya students who had gathered there to attend the ongoing magic camp. Each envelop carried, one alphabet of the word, ‘pollution’ written over it. Then he inserted strong stainless steel spoons one each into these envelops. Each child was then asked to think about an environmental pollution they knew. After a few seconds, when these spoons were taken out, they were in fully bent and twisted state, leaving the kids dumbfounded. “Environmental degradation turns our life into a shapeless state like this”, the magician announced before the gazing spectators.

Before the show concluded a few more meaningful numbers were staged by the teen magician. This included breaking into pieces and rejoining a vibrant red woolen thread to show how our initiatives could reinstate a degraded environment. To show how the soil gets spoilt by non-degradable plastic wastes, the magician had a trick of vanishing a small piece of red silk inside a bigger green one.
Abhinraj is the first prize winner in the first State-level eco-magic competitions held last year under the aegis of the Magic Academy and the Kerala State Council for Science Technology and Environment. Magician Manu Poojappura spoke on the occasion.