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n event organizer brought psychics to a mall for a weeklong exhibition in a bid to tap into a niche market for clairvoyants and healers in urban Jakarta.

Event organizer Crescendo Creative brought 12 psychics from across the country to exhibit their expertise in fortune telling and alternative healing at a food court in Plaza Tendean, South Jakarta.

The event, scheduled to run from April 4 to 12, was the first ever clairvoyance exhibition in urban Jakarta, Crescendo Creative director Ignatius Dirgantara said Friday.

Crescendo Creative has held clairvoyance expos since 2008, but never in the middle of the city, let alone a mall. The event organizer held its first expo in Indonesia in Miniature Park (TMII), East Jakarta and in Cengkareng, Tangerang.

"Those are suburban areas, where a lot of people believe in mystical things. This is the first time we held it in an urban environ-ment because we believe there's a market that has yet to be captured," Ignatius said.

Indonesians, especially those living in small town rural areas, believe strongly in the paranormal. In February, four people died in a stampede, when thousands sought to meet a boy shaman called Ponari - believed to be in possession of a special healing stone - after he was struck by lightening.

While Ignatius believes invisible creatures exist, he does not think they interfere with the daily lives of humans.

Program coordinator Lilik Adhi Pranata said as many as 16 people a day came asking for fortune telling or alternative healing.

For Ignatius, this number was still below expectation.

"However, it still shows something, as we did not promote the event," he said.

The event will be extended until April 19.

"Some people just found out about the event on the fourth day. More people are coming, so we're going to extend it if the mall management agrees," he said.

Lilik said there were as many as 25 visitors a day in previous events.

Crescendo Creative brings psychics from different areas as far as Bali, Riau and Kalimantan. "We also brought paranormals from Pasuruan, Brebes, Bogor and Bekasi.

"Clairvoyants usually live in rural or suburban areas, where clients would have to travel far to reach them. We are now bringing psychics closer to the public," Ignatius said.

Psychics charge different consultation fees depending on the seriousness of the problem, with fees of around Rp 100,000 for minor issues.

"A consultation for a serious problem can cost up to Rp 300,000. And I think that's reasonable, to pay for the psychic's effort. Sometimes, they need to fast or stay up all night," he said.

Lilik, who once worked on producing a reality TV Show, Pemburu Hantu (Ghost Hunter), said he came up with the idea for the clairvoyance expo after working on the show.

"Every psychic that was featured in the show become famous and highly sought after. I see a market there," he said.

One psychic claimed he could capture genies and put them in bottles. Ignatius showed a picture of face with long hair and fangs inside a bottle. "That's the genie," he said. "I know it's hard to believe, but during the exhibition, when a bottle containing a genie broke, a visitor became possessed."

Psychic Wan Tambusai, who uses massages and prayers to heal, said the expo was a great way to get closer to the public. Alternative healing was as good as medical treatment.

"Who comes out first, shamans or doctors?" he asked rhetorically.

Crescendo Creative plans to hold future clairvoyance expos in more targeted areas.