What is "vazhakkunnam"

Vazhakunnam Neelakanthan Namboothiri or Prof. Vazhakkunnam(February 8, 1903 – February 9, 1983) is known as the Grand Father of Kerala's Magic. He gave a new meaning to magic in Kerala. He is praised as the patriarch of magic in the State. He played an important role in bringing Magic as an Art. For more than half a century, he had kept the onlookers spellbound in spite of his extreme simplicity and being devoid of any elaborate stage and costume. `Prof. Vazhakkunnam, born in an orthodox Namboodiri `illam' at Thiruvegappura, near Pattambi, is considered to be the `guru' of magic by contemporary magicians like Gopinath Muthukad.