Not just anjali and bhog, FE Block celebrated Saraswati puja with a magic show this year.
The young audience broke into smiles and applause as magician Biswanath Mitra ripped off a bunch of coloured papers, flung them in the air and turned them into a bouquet of flowers. He made handkerchiefs, bags, and even rice disappear and reappear at a snap of his fingers. He put flower buds inside an empty tub and made them emerge as brightly coloured flowers, signifying his message to the children, that just like the buds, they too can turn into beautiful flowers.
The kids couldn’t stop jumping up and down and racing towards the stage when magician Biswanath Mitra called a few of them to assist him. Little Araav Padi, who would soon turn eight, could not contain his excitement. “It was great to have been able to watch such a show even during a pandemic. I loved it,” said the EE Block resident, smiling ear to ear. Many parents and senior citizens watched the show intently too.
The magician himself recalled how he had got drawn to this art form. “Since a young age, the emotion of surprise and the magic performed by madaris intrigued me. I fell in love with this art,” said Mitra. “During the pandemic, my main job has been spreading awareness using my skills as a magician and ventriloquist.”
“Most cultural programmes, like dance and music, appeal to adults so this time we thought of doing something for children — students — who are the main focus of Saraswati puja. So we decided upon the magic show,” said Indranil Aich, media branding convenor of FE Block Residents’ Association.
A dinner followed the magic show as the curtains were drawn on Saraswati puja for the year.