Attempts for a magical revival of ancient art

KOCHI: Mayan Vaidyar Shah may not be a familiar name to magic lovers, but his contribution to the field of magic is immense as he is involved in reviving the long-lost charm of a traditional magical art form ‘Cheppum Panthum’. This magical art form has its roots in the ancient durbars of kings mentioned in the history books.Mayan Vaidyar Shah claims to be the one of the only seven persons in the world who can perform this age-old traditional art. “Now-a-days, Cheppum Panthum is hardly performed. It requires rigorous practise to ensure perfection. This could be one of the reasons for the decline of the art form. Also, its knowledge cannot be easily passed on to somebody else,” he said.Cheppum Panthum involves use of four cups and balls. “It is nine-minute item. The magician makes the ball disappear and then reappear in the cups. His magic can also increase the number, colour and size of the balls,” he said. Mayan also said that it is not as simple as it sounds. “From the beginning till the end, concentration plays a vital role. If it breaks in the middle, the whole item can go topsy-turvy,” he said. Mayan says, after his each performance, many people approach him for tutelage, but cannot admit them all. “At times, the performance attracts the attention of the people but it is usually fleeting. An inherent talent is a the only prerequisite. It is the intuition that helps in recognising such talents. Unfortunately, such talents are rare,” he said.Also, Mayan added that he has slightly altered the art. “Renowned magician Vazhakkkunnam Neelakandan Namboothiri saved the art from extinction. In the climax of the performance, he used to produce silk scarves. However, I altered it. I increased the number of cups used and produce turtle and red seeds instead of scarves,” he said.When asked about people’s inclination towards finding loopholes in a magical performance, he said that there was a time when magicians used to think very highly of themselves and that paved way to the unhealthy tendency. He added that to make a performance successful, people should enjoy it rather than criticising it.