The evening was passing well in chit-chat, when suddenly Hypnotism came up in discussion. A veteran literature recalled world famous magician P. C. Sorcars’s show in New Empire theatre. Sorcar has came in an hour late. The spectators complained in dissatisfaction. But he told them that it was just 6:30 according to his watch. The spectators looked at their watches and found that it was really 6:30. After this story, the narrator asked if I could relate any such tale of hypnotism about any magician. I replied that I can’t. Such rumours were also prevalent about magicians like Raja Bose. Ganapati, Roy-the-magician. I further said that there are many tales regarding magicians using hypnotism, but in reality hypnotism will be the last thing that magicians might choose to use on stage. Because you can’t ‘demonstrate’ magic by hypnotizing anybody.

Can animals be hypnotised?

In Ray’s Hirak Rajar Deshe, we saw Gupi and Bagha hypnotising a tiger. We have also read magician Mandrake hypnotising animals. Some magicians hypnotise hens. Last year National Geographic aired a programme — India’s Dairy where such an incident was shown. The magician drew a line across a hen and then left it loose. But instead of fidgeting around as is characteristic of it, the hen sat still. Then the magician clapped it back to senses as if it was in a state of hypnotic stupor.

Such an incident doesn’t prove any relation with hypnotism. You can also do the same, Just hold a hen by its head against the ground and draw a line starting from the tip of its beak. It will stay still unless you clap it back to senses. In reality the hen stops its movement since it thinks that its beak is tired with something that will hurt if it tries to move. Because by holding the hen against the ground, all you are is making such that it sees the line from a single perspective and believe that the line is a noose. It is this belief that makes it stay as it does. But the moment you make a sound it jerks and realizes that the beak is free and hens starts moving.
 

Photo hypnotism

 Many a times you will find an advertisement in news paper and magazines saying, “Have you failed in love? Get back your love by hypnotising your beloved.” Two people well known for this work are Paglababa and Gautam Chakraborty of Howrah Janbari. However this kind of hypnotism can at best be described as simple fraud.

Hypnotism and science

 Most people have two peculiar notions about hypnotism. Either magicians use hypnotism or hypnotism is a hallucination of the person ‘hypnotised’ and hence a phenomenon generally used to fool people. Both the notions are wrong.

 I. V. Pavlov won the Nobel Prize in 1904 for his research on ‘Physiology and Medicine. The topic of his research being Conditioned Reflex. As a result of this research, many dark recesses of psychology came to the forefront. We all know that the basis of a human body is a cell. There are different types of cells. Like collective cells make up bones and blood. Then there are muscular cells. Brain consists of nerve cells that are called neurons. These neurons control all the five sense organs. Conditioned Reflex is one of the property of the neurons. Any activity of mind depends on Conditioned Reflex which is a result of our social and economical surroundings.

We take in suggestions from our surroundings both consciously and unconsciously. And a long lasting effect culminate into Conditioned Reflex. Hypnotism is, controlling the brain for a time period by suggestions. Those physicians who treat by Pavlovian theory use Hypnotism. Lack of enthusiasm, impotency, stammering, psycho-somatic disease, or mental disease like Paranoia and Schizophrenia can be cured by correct use of hypnotism. Hypnotism can be further used for physical and mental relaxation. It Is much more effective than meditation.