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From Rameswaram to Rashtrapati Bhavan

Staff Reporter

Magical tribute to the President on his 75th birthday

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 45-minute programme of magic titled `Wings of Illusion,' presented by magician Gopinath Muthukad as a gift to President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on the occasion of his 75th birthday, was inaugurated here on Sunday by Education Minister M.A. Baby.

The programme began with a narration of Mr. Kalam's childhood at Rameswaram. As huge canvas portraits of the President's school and of the temple and masjid at Rameswaram were displayed on stage, the `young Kalam' suddenly appeared on stage with a cycle loaded with newspapers to sell.

Similar magical moments kept popping up in between the narrative of the life of the President shown as a documentary.

Science

One such episode showed how Mr. Kalam as a child was fascinated by the world of science. Even as the boy, playing the role of the President as a child, turned the big pages of the `book of science,' Muthukad stepped out of a `page' in the form of Thomas Alva Edison. The President's spiritual journey that took him beyond the confines of religion was shown on stage by the magician by making three people - representing Hinduism, Christianity and Islam - disappear into a box.

The saffron, green and white pieces of cloth that they carried were then `magically' converted into the national flag.

The President's zeal to protect the environment was enacted on stage using what is called `cinematic magic,' a show where the magician interacts with characters appearing on the screen.

The show concluded with a reminder to the audience of Mr. Kalam's themes of economic security and industrial progress for the country as laid out in his Vision 2020.

The programme, conceived by the Academy of Magical Sciences, would conclude at Kasaragod on October 29.

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