Twenty-five magical years for Kerala’s ‘Magic Academy’

Magician Gopinath Muthukad of the Academy of Magical Sciences has used magic to create awareness about various issues among the public

In the early 1990s, magician Gopinath Muthukad used to travel from his native Kavalamukkatta village near Nilambur to magic shows across the State. In one of those trips to Thiruvananthapuram, he met writer Malayattoor Ramakrishnan, who advised him to shift base to the capital and use magic to create awareness about various issues among the public. Thus was born the Academy of Magical Sciences, or Magic Academy, which is set to complete its silver jubilee on Monday. "Malayattoor told me that magic should not just remain in the streets, but should become an academic discipline. His idea was that people should be made aware that it is a science, to expose those who use magic tricks to spread superstitions in the society. He took the initiative to purchase eight cents of land in Poojappura to set up the academy, got it registered as a charitable society and made arrangements for the inauguration ceremony too," Mr.Muthukad reminisces.