My story as a Nepali Magician (Story of a Nepali Magician Suraj Mainali)

“People still refer a magician here as “Chatakey” and consider “Ratnapark” as magic theater. Here maybe as a professional magician we can’t even find 15 of them. The era of great magical stage performance has not been introduced in Nepal, so to change people’s perspective about magic and magicians in Nepal; someone had to take one step forward as a professional Illusionist”

One of Nepal’s first contemporary Magicians to make it to international level, I have been in the profession for past 8 years. I have been performing national level shows since. As an Illusionist, I can defy every possible law of logic, read people’s mind, – conjure  mystery – casting a spell on ordinary people walking around in shopping malls, restaurants and on the streets is a cup of tea for me, I can levitate, make things appear out of nowhere ,can read your thoughts and can imprint them anywhere available. All this right in front of your very own eyes complete with jaw-dropping reactions. I have performed hundreds and hundreds  shows including most of the five-star hotels, several embassies, NGO’s, private functions for multinational companies like Tata Motors, Suzuki Motors, WWF, Oxfam , Dabur Nepal, Standard Chartered Bank Leo Clubs, C.D.P, New Life Disabled Center etc , and so much more I even can’t exactly remember all of them.

One of my highest achievements includes my performance twice for the Royal Family of Nepal. Recently I had the opportunity to represent Nepal in SAARC Magic Conference 2016 held at New Delhi, India. I was honored with “Medal of Excellence” by the Living Legend of Indian Magic, P.C Sarcar(J.R) and I had the opportunity to participate in Guinness World Records for ” Most Number Of Magicians In A Show”, and we broke the previous records of FISM Italy, which makes me the First Nepali Magician to participate and officially enter my name in Guinness Books of World Records. During my past 8 years of Magic I have achieved much honor and fame as anyone could wish for, and I still have much more to achieve.

But life was not so easy when I decided to leave my academics and choose to become a Magician. Like every other parents, my parents too wanted to their son to get proper education and become a high level officer. Academics never really interested me. I was a low-grade student as many of my Friends circle were too. Even though trying hard I really never achieved good ranking among my classmates. After completion of my higher secondary education In Hotel Management faculty, I decided to search for suitable job offers. And as in the context of Nepal, finding a job was as hard as finding a God. I tried many hotels and restaurants in the several posts as Bartender, Captain, Waiter, but working there never fulfilled either my dreams or my pockets. So, pursuing magic was the only way out. Standing out from the rest wasn’t an easy job. In Nepal magic has not evolved as a carrier making profession till now. People still refer a magician here as “Chatakey” and consider “Ratnapark” as magic theater. Here maybe as a professional magician we can’t even find 15 of them. The era of great magical stage performance has not been introduced in Nepal, so to change people’s perspective about magic and magicians in Nepal; someone had to take one step forward as a professional Illusionist.

But it wasn’t a cup of tea for bringing a new profession to sustain life as compared to other profession. Like every parents, mine too were worried about the future and consequences of my life as A Magician. I could never convince my father about the art of Magic. I secretly had to go for training due to my father’s full objection. I could hardly manage 2 hours per day to practice, without letting my father getting me caught.

But due to misery of life, my father suddenly had to leave this world due to severe disease. I was in a great grief as everyone else would have been, after losing the hope and support of the family. Now I was the backbone of the family but, didn’t know where to begin from, as the death of my father was as sudden as an unprepared storm at midnight. I struggled a lot to earn a living, starting from a salesman to a night security guard at a hospital.

But my instincts were continuously suggesting me that this was not where I was meant to be and that was definitely not my future. So, pursuing magic was the only way out. As they say rest is history.” I still practice my illusions 5-6 hour’s everyday continuously, because I believe dedication is the only possible ladder to achieve success”. Except for a few renowned magicians, not many have taken the initiative to improve and come out with new performances to captivate today’s generation. The solution lies in presentation and innovation. It is not what you do but how you do it. I have seen many   magicians performing with their best knowledge and skill but with the worst execution and showmanship ever. They still need to practice hundreds of hours to flourish their skill. Because in my view knowing the secrets does not makes us a perfect magician, but the art of conjuring and entertaining with enough flourish and showmanship does.

As in context of Nepal, just a few have just started to know what MAGIC actually is. To step towards another progressive stages of Establishing a Brotherhood of Nepali Magicians and promote the evolving art , establishing a Magic Curriculum and  making the access and availability of Magic props easy  is the major primary objective, what we need to focus on right now because getting a single deck of magical cards is way too difficult here in Nepal. After all those years of experience as a  professional Magician in Nepal, I see the beginning of an era  of a worldwide known art form  which has been into practice from centuries ago and personally feel Nepali Magicians ( including me) has to learn and focus  much  more seriously in this Evolving Art of Magic in Nepal. As I strongly believe that it will one day be a respected Art, included in one of the professions to choose among various others arts here in Nepal. And that one day may not be far from us.