Thiruvananthapuram, Monday 24 May 2010: Thiruvananthapuram will host the first-ever festival of female magicians on May 30. Around 150 delegates (magicians) from different parts of the country will assemble for the event titled, ‘Maya 2010’.

The Magic Academy here is organising the programme with the support of the Kerala State Youth Welfare Board and the Kerala State Women’s Development Corporation.

Minister for Law and Sports M. Vijayakumar and magician Gopinath Muthukad of the Academy told the media here on Monday that World’s top lady magician, Luna Shimada from the United States, would participate in the programme along with her husband and renowned magician Losander and daughter Tara. Poet Sugathakumari would inaugurate the event.

Muthukad claimed that the festival could be the first such gathering of women magicians in the world. The delegates for the Maya 2010 would show that women have changed from the status of being assistants in magic shows to persons capable of proving their mettle as independent magicians.

There would be exclusive competitions for woman magicians, lecture classes and performances by leading female magicians. Las Vegas thrillers, Luna and Losander, would offer a training session for the delegates.

Besides regular Stage and close-up categories, there would be Kitchen Magic, a thoroughly new section for the participants to contest.
As a precursor to the event, three girls will ride on motorcycles blindfolded from Secretariat to Gandhi Park at 4.30pm on May 29.