Indian Conjuring

Major Lionel Hugh Branson (1879 - 1946) was an officer of the British Indian Army and a magician. On the stage, he was known as Lionel Cardac. He was a member of the The Magic Circle.

Since the beginning of time, magic and wizardry were fascinating for people, and sources for writing a lot of essays, stories and novels. There are many conjurors, illusionists and magicians who attract an audience. They are skillful and able to make you see what they want you to see, but how do they do that, it’ their secret. Or not?

This book offers a description of many well-known tricks that are shown by the “house to house” Jadoo-wallah, and explanation of how they are done. Also, it compares the Indian conjuror with the conjurors from Europe, Asia and China.

This book is written with the hope that it will be of great interest to the people in India and those who visit its coral shores, who discuss with amazement how the Indian conjuror can perform his tricks. It is also written with the intention to uphold the reputation of the Western conjurors in contrast to their Eastern confreres.

In it, you will read about the following tricks:

• The cups and balls.
• The bamboo sticks.
• The ring on the stick.
• The ball in the glass box.
• The bunder-boat.
• The bowl of rice.
• The coloured sands.
• The rope trick.
• The egg bag.
• The swastika.
• The dancing duck.
• The mango tree.
• The basket trick.