Good Bye - 2007!! Prove Yourself - 2008!!!

Dearest Friends,

Sometimes I wonder why we celebrate New Year. Theoretically speaking, it's just another second passing by us, just another tick of the seconds hand of the clock. Maybe it's just another effort by us Humans to try find a way to let go of the past, and look forward to the future with renewed confidence, renewed hopes and renewed concentration. Maybe it's just another reason for us to celebrate since the life we live in gives us fewer reasons anymore to do so. Whichever be the reason, we are going to do precisely this! Ensconced deeply into our traditions and track records, using them constantly as our learning phases, we are going to let go of the Year 2007 - our happiness, sadness, failures and achievements. And we are going now into Year 2008 with the conviction that Destiny rests not in the stars, not into the pens of some unseen entities, but right in our own hands and hearts from which flow every ingredient required to make a mark on the sands of times - Courage, Conviction, Strength, Progress, Sacrifice, Focus, Willpower, Ambition, Productivity, Optimism and Willingness to be on God's side when he needs us.

May your year be a Magical Year, with unexpected pleasant Miracles, with God being on your side, and most of all, the most potent side of you emerging to bring pride and happiness to you and your family.


Due Regards,
Jadugar Anand Akash
s/o Jadugar Anand.

Manipulation of the Manipulated(Theft in a thief’s house)!!

There has been an amusing incident in the last week, which I feel like putting forth here. A supposed “Magic Academy” had put up an enthusiastic poll on its Blog. It caught my interest when a few magician friends mentioned about it to me. The reason for my interest in this poll was quite simple – Among the four magicians named in the poll, was my father too. Widely accepted as the MOST POPULAR MAGIC SHOW with biggest magic team and with maximum infrastructure, and best of all, the team with the best public response in India, was started from scratch by my father – JADUGAR(MAGICIAN) ANAND. There were two more equally big and deserving names in the poll. It was a shock to see the fourth name in the poll, which was none other than the blog creator himself, who is also(“coincidently”) the Founder of this “Magic Academy”. In my opinion, the contestants were not fairly chosen. This dude didn’t stand a chance! Furthermore, the Blog where this poll was posted, was full of his praises and whatever photographs the dude had managed to gather from somewhere. NOT EVEN ONE SIMPLE PHOTOGRAPH OR INTRODUCTION OF ANY OF THE OTHER MAGICIANS WAS PUT ON THE BLOG. And the truth is, the other three names were of Giants in the Indian Magic Industry. Well, that was just the beginning. The polling began. I kept forgetting about the polls till the magician friends called me every two or three days to tell me the status of the poll. I really felt that not only was this poll a waste of energy for me, it was also being done in a very unethical manner due to the fact that it was being held on the blog of one of the names in the polls. I feel convinced inside me that the magician friends were also interested in the polls only to see how this MANIPULATED POLL is going to be justified for by this Blogger. It began as expected, with my father leading the poll. That remained the status quo for some days. Then one night suddenly, this dude’s votes shot up like Magic. A giant that Mr.Anand is, seemed so small when compared to this dude’s votes. Not much of a surprise if you ask me(whose blog hosted the poll anyways?). After a few days, I again got the news that my father’s votes have started increasing. Well, I am sure all Magicians know Magic! This dude was probably under the impression that since it’s his Blog, he’s the only pro. Unfortunately for him, someone somewhere planned to express to him that TWO CAN PLAY THIS GAME. As written in his afternotes (which clearly showed his state of mind), the votes started to increase more than dramatically for my father. And, on daily basis. My friends told me that after two days of this, this dude’s votes also started increasing in a similar fashion. But it seems that the pace of his increments was nowhere close to my father’s. So as some of my friends had already predicted, the dude flung the board in the air before the other side could say CHECKMATE!!! I remember having done this once in my childhood when I had ran away with the cricket ball right when I got bowled out, ending the game then and there, leaving my friends shouting – CHEATER! CHEATER!! And to hide the embarrassment, the afternotes were added, and in a very official tone. The most amusing part is the way it mentions how this incident was SPREADING SUSPICION! Spreading where? For who? Personally I found a lot of Megalomania in the whole thing. And utterly undeserved Megalomania. Still better, was a pointer to this dude’s assumptions. This dude said, bogus voting from a single IP address was made on repeated basis. Now, anyone with a little bit of common-sense and knowledge of Internet knows immediately how a polling script is programmed. Obviously, one IP address CANNOT cast votes twice!!! This dude probably feels that India’s Magicians don’t know what Internet is and how and what it is about. He used a term which I have never heard in my lifetime – INTERNET EXPERT. I might be mistaken, but I don’t think there is any profession or designation or qualification known as INTERNET EXPERT. And what an internet expert to recommend that the same IP address can vote twice? Manipulations Galore!! His afternotes, hence, sound like a justification of why he ran away with the ball when he was bowled out.Now, when I sit back and think, on hindsight I see that this dude probably used these three other big names to garner as many hits as he could to his Blog. And given the popularity of the three, it was quite an intelligently manipulated poll from the word go. I wonder what he found wrong about manipulating a manipulated poll ;-)I am also wondering whether it’s legal for him to use these names without the explicit permission from these people who are still alive and are the epitome of Magic in India. Is he ethical in attracting publicity and attention by using such names without their permissions? There is a continuous use of the word WE throughout this adventure/misadventure. Well, if this poll was manipulated by someone, EVERY aspect of the existence of this poll and this Blog itself seems like a manipulation to me. Finally, I think that if this dude was under any impression that he’s the only resourceful person at The Internet, I am sure he has learnt a lesson which the whole world ought to know – INDIAN MAGICIANS ARE AS GOOD AND AS UPDATED IN ANY TECHNOLOGY AS ANY OTHER IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!

Reuters' Top photos of Year 2007!!!

My photo of Fire Escape performed on 25th of March at Hyderabad this year(2007), has been chosen in the Top Photos of the Year 2007 by Reuters. Here's the link to the same:

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/slideshow/photo//071203/ids_photos_en/r1639498003.jpg/

Thank you Reuters!!!

Underwater Escape Photos

Some photos of the Underwater Escape!

A public address by me introducing the event and the sequence of sub-events about to happen.

Physical intro of all the material to be used in the Escape.

Being handcuffed by Mr.Murali Mohan, a great actor and financier in the Telugu Film Industry.

Assisting him in the process is THE GREAT MAGICIAN ANAND - The one truly deserving of the whole credit!

Being chained all over the body.

A brief Interview by NDTV before the actual event.

About to be put into the sack, inside which was tied before being locked in the Box.

The box being lowered into the Hussain Sagar Lake from a Steamer.

So close to the water, I could almost smell it!!

Could feel the water all over my body and around me as the water started filling inside the box through the holes made in the box.

Tasted the Lake's SPICY water and trust me, it tasted like a RELIEF!!!

Turned back to ensure everything was alright and that the timekeepers gave me some good news!!!

On top of the boat, finding it difficult to balance myself, yet, ecstatic about the success.

A fine boat-ride, waving to the Cameras, and to the people who had witnessed the Escape.

With friends and cameras, all asking me how the water tasted ;-)

The final Applause Stance!!!....


From the side too!!!

Underwater Escape Follow-up

Well! Well! Well! So it's over now! The harrowing experience! Now I think I know why this particular Escape feat was not being done in India since last 35-40 years. Despite all our best preparations, things did go wrong with me also locked inside the box. Twice in the few minutes that I spent inside the box, I felt that this Lake is the last place to see me breathe. With a little presence of mind and slight management, those moments came and passed by, as if I was standing on the Railway Station and I saw Death as a passenger in the passing-by train. She smiled at me, watched me struggling busily, I looked up and smiled at her, and she smiled in return.

There was a large crowd at The Venue, Hussain Sagar Lake, Hyderabad. The lake is centrally located, easily accessible to all citizens of the Twin Cities, but very dirty( due to industrial wastes being dumped in it - as locals reported to me). There were seven boats hired for the purpose(The Helicopter could not be managed due to a long-list of reasons). Without the Helicopter, it was clear that spectators will not get a good view. The drowning of the box HAD to be in the middle of the water body, so that no one can question the seriousness of the Escape's intent. But that increased the distance from the banks, reducing the visibility. I really feel very sorry for this because even I love to perform live. But it seemed impossible given the situation. So we decided to concentrate on the Media so that everyone can atleast watch it on TV properly afterwards.

When I reached the spot, EVERY NEWSPAPER AND CHANNEL were there. For some reason which I fail to see, they chose to interview me individually. So I was stopping every ten meters, speaking again from scratch about the Event. The worst part of this was, I scared myself because after speaking those things so many times, my mind started to re-think whether I can actually do what I am about to do. I got very nervous slowly and my mind started rechecking the list of possible loop-holes. By the time of performance, I must be looking like Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce like face! The handcuffs, the chains, the lockes, the bag, the Box, the Waters, the Ships, everything started to worry me! The event was being telecasted live by some of the channels, so backing-off was not an option.

Anyways, with all things going regular on the surface, I had to look regular too. Interviews and questions kept happening uninterrupted, making me all the more nervous. The only soothing factor was the presence of my very close and very cute friend Karuna, an artist herself, who people told me later, was praying much for me when I was submerged in the Lake.The spot for the locking process was the centre of the Lake where stands a beautiful Monolith of Gautam Buddha, touted as the largest Monolith of the Enlightened One in India at 17 meters height. Around it is a platform capable of boarding a large number of people. So as we slowly reached the Statue in the large boat, my nervousness slowly reached its peak. There were already a lot of general public on the Floating Deck and the platform. I climbed down the boat and at the platform, some speeches took place, and I was asked to strip down to my Swimming Trunks. I was handcuffed, chained and locked there by some local celebrities. I was obviously very nervous but couldn't express the same to the three boats around the Floating Deck, which were full of Media people. I was asked again and again to pose with the handcuffs or the chains and I obliged despite my heartbeats touching 120(I guess). Then I was placed in the Sack and the mouth of the sack was tied with Ropes. I was picked up like that and placed inside the box. I felt the Lid of the box close on me, and then heard the box being locked with chains, ropes and locks. Then the box was picked up and kept on the edge of the boat, and I could feel it being slowly lowered. Then water touched my feet and I knew the box is on the surface of the Water. Through the holes made all over the box, water started filling in. I was struggling hard with my locks when I realised that two of them have malfunctioned! Let me tell you as a professional escape artist that such a situation is the biggest Nightmare of anyone in my position. Although we are in the field of Magic, the things we use are made of common material only. And when immersed in water, they sometimes behave differently. I must tell you that I felt for two seconds that I am gonna die here in Hussain Sagar Lake!! The locks were adamantly stuck and there seemed no way to make them work. Suddenly, almost like real Magic, they opened themselves up! Even now I am confident that the Gods were with me or this Blog would have remained blank everafter. Lord Buddha and Lord Ganesha(whose thousands of idols are lying submerged in Hussain Sagar Lake) were surely with me Underwater to help me. Once the locks gave way, I was out of the sack and the Box (HOW is a good question here;-) ). The water was half filled in the Box. I freed myself from the Box but I was so busy trying to save my life, that I didn't remember a thing about the water condition of the Lake. I went deep in the water and looked around. Visibility was poor but not zero. I saw the sun rays trying to break through the murky waters of Hussain Sagar. I decided to reach for them and when I touched the surface, in attempt to breathe, I gulped a mouthful of the Lake's water. I swear, it tasted just like any normal water that we can have anywhere. Only then I was reminded of the waters of the Lake, and I struggled to wave my hand at the time-keeper who clicked the stopwatch to a halt. I swam between the four boats surrounding me for a while and reached the boat ear-marked for my victory rounds. I was breathless and relieved at the same time because no spectator ever comes to know whatever I go through inside the box here or in the Fire in 'Fire Escape'. I stood up after a few seconds and was greeted with immense delight form all the people present and all the people from Media who had become my friends during our interactions. Everyone had been a lot of support to me, and my heart was filled with gratitude for one and all present(and those who supported me despite not being there). On the boat I was told I have created a New World Record for fastest Underwater Escape.

One must be wondering how so much can happen in 15 seconds. I must explain something queer that I have noticed. During the most important part of the escape, i.e. when I am trying to free myself from the various bounds, time seems to slow down so much! It feels like there are ten seconds in every one second. So much happens inside there in a few seconds which doesn't happen in normal living. And it's all done so fast that any problem anywhere can be identified in microseconds. When i came out of the Box, I felt it was already atleast 120-130 seconds. Then I was told it was only 15 seconds! This part things realy amaze me. I start feeling as if I had gone into a trance and I can't believe I was doing the things that happened.

I am happy that this record story has happened, but I perform for my happiness. The thrill of being close to death and getting away from it again by presence of mind and skill, is an excitement beyond words. Escapes are my life. I will be spending my life on stage and on outdoor escapes. That's where my destiny lies. I never care for records. If they happen along the way, good enough! If they don't, I wasn't trying in the first place.

All the channels of the country kept showing the event all day long. Many Live interviews also happened. All newspapers of the country printed the Event as a Highlight. I got calls from every part of the country, reporting that the local papers had covered the event. There are a lot of articles on the net too. Great going! I think I will do Underwater Escape also many times again. And I pray the Gods be with me!!!!

Thanks

By the way, it was silly of me to not to mention some people and agencies that are helping me make Underwater a success. The list is topped by the people of Hyderabad who are visibly very excited about the event. Suddenly everyone seems to know me more than ever before as THAT GUY WHO IS GONNA DO IT! Of course, then is Mr.Jadugar Anand without whose support it's impossible for me to perform these escapes. With more than 45 years experience in magic, he's surely my greatest Mentor. Another of my friends who are keeping my spirits high, are Chandrashekhar sir, who owns the Jupiter Aviation in Bangalore, and Captain Gally at Mumbai, again the owner of probably the largest fleet of Choppers. Without them trying to get me a chopper, i'd have to do it like any Tom, Dick and Harry in a boat. Also i am indebted to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation people who have been extending every possible help to me ever since they cme to know of my plans for the escape. I have no doubt in claiming that they are probably the most efficient of any Corporation body in the whole country. Some more people I am thankful to...Stuti, my cousin who's probably my single biggest fan, and Soujanya, the birthday girl on the 13th.

I wish to dedicate this escape effort of mine to my elder sister, Akansha, who is the only girl in the world who makes me feel like a small boy. Next to my parents(sometimes as much) she is responsible for bringing me up by taking impossible amount of care of me. I love you Akansha. Be there with me always.

The Underwater Escape!!!

Back again with another Escape I have never attempted before - THE UNDERWATER ESCAPE. This one is a classic but also the most watched and appreciated type of escape. I guess everyone must be knowing Harry Houdini. I am intentionally not wring Late Harry Houdini, because there's a saying in Magic Circles....MAGICIANS ARE NEVER BORN, THEY NEVER DIE; THEY SIMPLY APPEAR AND DISAPPEAR. So Harry Houdini might have disappeared!

Anyways, Houdini was a VERY popular magician who carried Magic to astronomical heights of popularity. He loved performing various escapes. One of his popular performances was this UNDERWATER ESCAPE where he was handcuffed and sealed in a wooden box which was tied with ropes and/or chains and thrown in a river or sea. The one he did at New York in 1912 finds many mentions on the net.

Well.........that's what I plan to do. Only, chains will be five times more, box will be dropped by a Helicopter instead of a Boat, and it's in Hyderabad's Hussain Sagar Lake. On this 13th, Sunday, at 11a.m., I'll perform this escape. Incidentally, i went to the Lake today and since then, there's a picture in front of my eyes I am unable to get rid of. This picture is of the water that this Lake holds. Dark Green, murky waters!! Very, very dirty!! I saw today that visibility inside the water is less than a foot!! I mean, from the top of the water, you can't see even a foot inside it, so dirty the Lake is. And does it stink!! Only silver lining was the Buddha Statue in the middle of the Lake. Buddha, no matter where he is, is always serene. So he's here too. But I am no Buddha. So, I hated that Dark Green Stinky water!!!!!!!! I am just committed to perform the magic there so I will. But I wish I don't have to touch that water, so dirty it is.

I have been practising my swimming since ten days so that I am prepared for any exigencies that might arise during the Escape (Exigencies happen often in Escapes).

A newspaper today printed a new kind of photo of me - just in my swimming trunks. This is my first photo of this nature. I was a bit awkward during the photo shoot, but do I have a choice?

Still busy running pillar to post for arrangements of the event. Too much yet to be done. Even the Helicopter is not yet finalised. I know that's not the best way to do things, but sometimes stars are just in the wrong places. Will keep working on it till all's done. No choice about that again!

So 13th may, 2007 is the D-Day. I must write again after the event is over, so that I can tell you that I went in the Lake a brown man, but came out a Dark Green Monster!!!!!:-)

Blindfold Follow-up

Before anything else, check out this link:
http://foto.pap.pl/preview.php?WGSESSID=67d707462bbd649ef5570561dd53b75a&TABPREV=IPTC&SECTION=SEARCHRESULT&IMGID=00000003279039

It has one of the best snaps of me JUST out the Fire after my Escape from it.

Now about my Blindfold Ride which happened on 2nd April, 2007. Well, the Blindfolded ride went rather well, one of the most comfortable I had in a long time. It lasted one and a half hour! But I was so lost in it that I realised it only when it was about to get over. Anyways, it started in a funny manner where all the Guests who were to be garlanded, decided to garland me instead with my garlands only. I find this system odd and funny because I never feel myself fit to be garlanded. I am a shy person when it comes to acknowledging my feats. Of course, I have to get interviewed by papers and channels, but i don't really feel anything special when i see my face in papers or TV. I just feel it is one of my duties to interact with these people who let people know what's happening and why. They are very nice people but most Indians are crazy about appearing on any media. Somehow, I lack that craze in me. But like I mentioned in my profile, I DIG live performances. It could even be a decent singer singing a song for me. It gives me goosebumps to witness such artistic talents right in front of my eyes. Maybe that's one reason i don't watch much TV or movies. I find them not-so-real. They have options of editing and using all kind of technology. But live performances are so real! Nothing is made-up about them. Same for this blindfold ride.

The media support we got for the ride was beyond my expectations. to be precise, 16 satellite channels covered it, three-fourths of them from North India. All newspapers in Hyderabad covered it, as did others in Karnataka and West Bengal too. Reuters, UNI and PTI were there, and many papers chose to select this news from them. Impressive coverage it was, even more than what we got in Chennai.

Before the ride, a band of Medical Adhesive Tape was stuck to my eyes, then a block of cardboard, cotton pad, thick layer of wheat flour cake, then a roll of cloth band which went around my head for four times, then a satin-lined hood which covered my full head, then a Black band on top of it, mentioning JADUGAR ANAND on it. The bike was a Hero-Honda Karizma( a very stable bike,I feel). Two ambulances followed me everywhere I went. Ahead of me, four vehicles full of Media people and their cameras were wrestling to get the best shots. So I often snaked my way amongst them to let each of them have good views. I also often shot ahead of everyone in the coterie so that they KNOW that I am not dependent on any signals from them for my feat. People get really creative when trying to guess a magic-trick. When three-fourths of the ride was over, one the guys came from somewhere and put a helmet on top of my face. Just read the list of things already on my eyes and face again. On top of that, He just thrusted a helmet! He said some channels had called up to tell that Traffic police is planning to fine me on the next junction for not using a helmet. I can't begin to tell how it felt with that helmet stuck so tightly to my head! But I felt as if my talents were being challenged( a situation I love to meet!), so I decided to play it their way. I drove the rest of the way with that helmet. This helmet incidence was more stranger than the Chennai one(a channel reporter was courageous enough to decide to sit on the pillion while my ride was on). That Chennai girl was brave and she really enjoyed the ride. Most people would pay me NOT to sit behind me during this ride. But she was a logical and firm girl. But this helmet story was crazy!

Most strange things happen while I ask permission to do this feat(from the police). In Goa, the concerned officer didn't even let me enter his office and started to throw me out till I insisted that he let me speak my part of the story. then I showed him the TV clips and written permissions from Police Commissioners of Chennai and other major cities. I also explained to him that I am not suicidal. I am a magician who knows what he's doing! After all this, he decided to help me out. In Bangalore, police permitted us one day before the event, but cancelled it at the last minute! It's a different matter that their cancellation was covered so extensively in Media that even the Ride itself wouldn't have got. Chennai police was so worried about it that they waited and watched. Only when my 60 kms ride got safely done, did they give a written permission ( after two days!!!:-) )!

I would want to point out one difference between others and people of Hyderabad(even the whole of Andhra Pradesh). The difference is that people here are EXTREMELY courteous and polite. They really helped me out on the roads during the ride. They cleared as much of the roads for me as they possibly could when they saw me coming. Some have been so concerned about me that they were screaming on every turn - "Akashji, left turn now!" or "Akashji, right turn now!" Maybe that's the reason I have so many friends in Andhra Pradesh and Telegu is the only South Indian language I know so much about. Vishakhapatnam is certainly one of my favourite places. People here are truly wonderful. I remember many instances when I have asked my way to some part of Hyderabad and people have left their own tasks and piloted me all the way to my destination, just for politeness sake. I don't think any other place in India(or elsewhere) can claim such outstanding hospitality.

Hyderabad is awfully hot these days. When I finally arrived the end of the ride, I was soaked in sweat, but submerged in appreciation for these wonderful people of Hyderabad. They welcomed me majestically on my arrival back. Some coverages of the same:

I guess after seeing these newspaper coverages, some of you must be wondering why police hinders this guy's performance when his motive is to create traffic awareness. Well..........join the club!! I wonder too!!! In every of my interviews,I stress heavily on Road safety and Traffic Rules. Indian Road conditions are as good as many Third World countries in my view. I just want to help the police department educate people. I talk of importance of Traffic Rules, Seat Belts, Helmets, not using mobiles on roads, not smoking on the roads, concentrating while driving, not assuming helmet as total protection, and so on. I wonder why I am not seen as an ally to this monsterous problem of Traffic in India. I hope someone will see the point soon!

Hyderabad

Today at 11:00 am is my Blindfold Ride. I'll be travelling from Harihara Kala Bhawan, the venue of our stage shows, to a long route(some people mentioned that it could take me upto 4 hours!!). The exact route will be in the papers in the morning. I'll be using the Hero Honda bikes organised by a local Agency for me. I hope all goes well. Of the approx. 60 times that I have done this event, 55 times something or the other was not up to the mark and I was rather uncomfortable. I hope all goes well tomorrow.

I plan to make a World Record in this someday(I can't care less about Guiness and all, I just wanna DO IT!). I plan to hire a runway on some private airport and try and ride blindfolded in excess of 300/320 kmph. it's my dream. I hope I realise it someday.

Can't write for too long because it's late now. Gotta sleep now and more important, gotta SHAVE tomorrow, something I hate doing! Some major channels are expected to be there.

By the way, some snaps of my Blindfolded Rides too here! All from Panjim, Goa. Actually Goa was where we were doing these things last. So these are fresh snaps. That's all for now. Time to zzzzzzzzzz.........

My Fire Escape Magic performance at Hyderabad

THIS IS A STRICT WARNING : ALL THE FOLLOWING WAS DONE UNDER PROFESSIONAL SCRUTINY AND SUPERVISION. NO ATTEMT OF THIS EVENT OR PART OF IT SHOULD BE ATTEMPTED WITHOUT RELEVANT EXPERTISE OR GUIDANCE OF RELEVANT PROFESSIONAL.

This is me!.....chained and handcuffed in 45 feet of steel chains and locked in all ways by 45 locks(approximately) in the First Snap.

The Second shows the Haystack, which is to be put on Fire.

The Third shows the 120-feet Crane after having dropped me Hanging upside down by my ankles into the Petrol-doused Haystack.

The Fourth shows the haystack on fire with me JUST emerging from it through the Fire(notice carefully the left section of the Fire).

The Fifth and Sixth show me on the ground just after my Escape with three Firefighters ensuring my safety from any aftereffects(from two angles).

The Seventh shows The Moment of Glory, a sign that I am totally unhurt and well.

I try and take no precautions apart from what is visible, e.g. some padding on the shins and ankles. I refuse to wear any headgear or have ANY kind of communication from the inside of the Haystack to anyone outside. I LOVE DOING THIS EVENT!!! I am forced to keep myself in best physical shape due to the nature of the many acts involved in this Event. I run 4 kms. every morning and follow it up with a number of flex and resistance exercises. The prime reason for this is the approx. 135 kgs weight that I bear on my ankles while hanging upside down from the crane. Also the blood-rush to my head and upper torso in that duration, and the subsequent drainage of blood from my feet and legs. Exercises are a must for me, even if I am not doing this Event.

I plan to do this UNDERWATER ESCAPE in sometime, which is considered further more riskier than this GREAT FIRE ESCAPE!! I wonder how it would go!..........................still wondering!:-)