Sanjeev Paul, managing director Jusco, unveils a blank portrait of JRD Tata at the inaguration of All- India Magic Festival. (Below) The picture floats on the frame after the magician waves his hand and casts a spell. Picture by Uma Shankar Dubey.

Jamshedpur, Sept. 15: Managing director of Jusco Sanjeev Paul was red in the face when he unveiled a ceremonial portrait of JRD Tata at The Milanee hall this evening. It was blank.

Suddenly, a man with a shimmering wand walked on to the stage, waved it in front of the frame and cast a spell. Abracadabra? And lo! The picture wafted in ? straight out of a Harry Potter fantasy series. The audience erupted in a frenzy of applause.

About 200 magicians from all over the country who are here to participate in the All-India Magic Festival have literally cast a spell on the city even before the search for the best magician has begun.

Magic is all over the city. The three-day national festival today kicked off with a daring ?blindfolded? bike ride by city-based magicians Kingshuk Kumar and Subir Mazumdar.

Though the competitive segment of the festival is scheduled to begin tomorrow, the conjurers have opened their bag of tricks.

O.P. Sharma from Uttar Pradesh could not turn down the request of some youths, who were curious about the handkerchief that the magician was carrying. The red handkerchief had a rabbit printed on it.

When the magician showed it to the enthusiasts, it had only one picture. But Sharma chanted some magical words and the handkerchief started sprouting pictures of rabbits on every side. The group of boys was dumbstruck.

On a sight-seeing and shopping trip in the morning, the magicians regaled the shop-keepers with card tricks and vanishing acts.

?We are elated by the enthusiasm of the people. Children are curious about our tricks,? said Shyam, a magician from Hyderabad.

Organised by the Jamshedpur Magic Association, the three-day fiesta will witness performances by some of the country?s best-known magicians, including a couple of performers from Bangladesh.

The repertoire is amazing. According to organisers, Prince Seal of Calcutta will catch bullets fired from a gun with his teeth while Uday Bhasker of Andhra Pradesh will flee from a burning hut with his hands and feet tied.

?The event has started on a positive note and we are confident that it will be memorable,? said Chanchal Chakravorty, organising secretary and head of education, Jamshedpur Utility and Services Limited Company Ltd (Jusco).

?This is the third All-India Magic Festival being organised in the city. Every two years, we organise the event to create an awareness among people about the art,? Chakravorty said.