Stories / Novel – The Halo Reams      
The Conversation
by TA Ramesh

The Haloens, Kannan, Balu, Gopal, Selvam and Vaithianathan just before the Sun set entered the Botanic Garden. They walked on the path leading straight to the central building having separate entrance for the Library, the Museum and the Aquarium. On either side of the path there were fences made out of finely grown plants. On the left hand side, there was a flat open to all decorated with Guinea flowers at the centre. Around it the cement benches were placed on the grass floor for the visitors to take rest there. It was indeed a beautiful place for having any kind of get together there.

On the right hand side also there was a circular area having a concavely dug out portion completely covered with fine grass. It would give pleasure to anyone in that place because if one got into the centre one would be four feet below the ground level; and you would feel as if you were in a calm and serene world. Those were the things that touched the hearts of the Haloens.

The museum and the aquarium were in one huge hall. The dead fossil creatures from the crow to the vulture were kept serially in a clear cut order. The living species of the ocean creatures starting from the black Molly fish to the octopus were seen moving alive in various glass vessels which were beautifully illuminated with fine colored electric bulbs. The fishing boats, nets, the bones of whale and shark were kept in all the available spaces there. Besides, there were dead snakes of the land and the sea, which were all well preserved in cylindrical glass bottles. The library was closed in that Saturday evening and so, nothing could be said about that.

Beyond the central building the whole garden looked like a forest as well as a park. That was a very old botanic garden, in fact. The garden, comprising of flowers of various colors and trees of different categories and varieties, was more for the eyes to see and enjoy than to read and live in imagination. Yet, it was a point blank thing to note that the garden was having a lot of age old trees, which were so old and grown up that they had become like actual stones! A peculiar case for the botanists to do research work there! A wonderful place for the poets to write beautiful poems!

The Halo group chose a spot surrounded by banyan trees to sit and chat for sometime. Selvam, who wanted to be jolly, started enquiring the kids who were playing there about some funny things. After a few minutes, he too started running after them. The reason was that the kids were more precocious than he was! That was the thing. By the time he returned other friends were conveniently sitting on the grass as comfortably as they could. Balu wanted to hear some humorous talk from Vaithianathan and so, he asked him to start talking about some topic. Vaithianathan prepared his ground well in order to avoid the assault of Kannan and Balu.

He said, “I am happy that I am one of the friends of The Halo group which is neither a political party nor a recreation club. At the outset, our friends I mean our Haloens are quite unique in spending the time not on wasteful amusements like going to cinemas or brothels as other young people are doing nowadays, but on useful things like developing knowledge through conversation on good topics and reading worthwhile books from the library. We are talking good things because of our discipline. The thing is we have to learn as to how we have to select good topics, which should be interesting and instructive to everyone and good quotations from great philosophers to enlighten our mind!”

Kannan was satisfied with this introduction. He understood that all were interested to have a talk on some useful topics. He looked at Balu with an eye of approval and waited for what he was going to say next. The smiling Gopal became calm and attentive. Selvam settled himself opposite to Balu in between Gopal and Vaithianathan.

“Selecting topics is not a difficult thing,” talked Balu. “But the thing is everyone should contribute relevant points, when we start talking about any subject. I suggest that there is one important thing we have to adopt… that is, everyone should select a subject in which one is best or interested. I think you will give your opinion on this aspect, what do you say?”

Immediately Kannan said, “Yes, it is a worthwhile thing and this can be adopted in practice. As far as I am concerned my interest is in literature; and it would be easy to have a lively conversation if we select a book, which is read by everyone. Then there won’t be much difficulty over the question of selecting a topic for discussion. I think, Gopal will say something on this matter.”

In his turn, Gopal said, “I am interested in Science & Technology. Now I am learning something about Radio repairs; I am able to do something in this line.”

On his part Selvam said, “I am going to join politics one day. I have joined the Law College. So, I can say that my subject of interest is Law and Sociology.”

Then Vaithianathan said, “My interest is in philosophy. I am interested in developing my knowledge on Philosophy and Religion. What about you, Balu?”

“I am interested in the literature of English, Hindi and Tamil. That is my subject of interest. So, what is your opinion in this regard, Mr. Kannan?”

Kannan said, “I am interested in developing my knowledge on both English and French Literatures. I like to become a well versed writer. So, whatever be the subjects we have chosen what is important here is that we have to exchange our views on all these subjects and side by side we should develop ourselves by having discussions on general topics.

By the by, I like to go to some places outside our town to have a change in my life. That is the only way by which I can overcome my personal problems. But whatever be the thing and wherever we are, we can continue our development works on our subjects through letter writing also. By conversations and writings we can keep ourselves well aware of the world and can be person of sure substance. That is my view.”

Next Vaithianathan said, “I like the opinion of Kannan. The thing we have to do now is that we have to start the spade work. We have to break the ice; and express our opinions in a friendly way.”

Then Balu intervened and said, “Let us start choosing our topics. For this I have an idea. Let everyone of us say a topic of one’s own interest. We will shuffle and select a topic among these topics and start our discussion. I think Kannan can start.”

“Let me say what topic I like when you have said yours,” said briefly Kannan.

“Art of Conversation is my topic,” said Selvam.

“Let us talk on My Way of Life,” said Vaithianathan.

Then Gopal said, “I am thinking about the topic. Let me say it after others have finished.”

“I think we can talk on the topic – Should Religious Parties be banned in our Country?” finished Balu.

“I have to give my topic yet,” hurried Gopal. “Nowadays we are seeing quite a lot of news about war and arbitration treaties. So, I am interested in knowing more about Army. My topic is – Should Military Training be given to our people?”


There arose a confusion which was whether to discuss on all the topics or to talk on one of the topics only. But all the topics were important for them. They did not know what they had to do next for sometime.

Balu came forward with an idea and said, “All the topics can be discussed one after the other. Let us choose one from those topics. For that let us write them down on small pieces of paper and one piece has to be picked up by anyone of the Haloens. That is the point. Now, who has to pick it up?”

Vaithianathan thought of something for a while and said, “I find it difficult to say any point on any of those topics. I have to think much and so, for this meeting I want to be a listener rather than a participant.”

This was found to be a consoling thing for Selvam and Gopal. So, Selvam said, “I am not a good talker. But other friends have to bear with my monotonous and dry talk.”

And Gopal said, “I can talk well in my topic and not in other topics chosen by you. So, there won’t be much for me to contribute, if the discussion starts on other topics.”

At that moment Kannan came forward to pacify the Haloens. He said, “You see, my friend, you should not feel that we are going to have a debate like discussion. We are going to have conversation only. We need not be specific. We have to give the opinion we have. The conversation should be congenial and lovely to everyone. Otherwise, we need not talk on difficult topics. Let us see that what topic is liked by all. I am ready for any topic not that I know much but that I think I can offer my views in a general way. Let there be mistakes. We can correct ourselves. What is there in it? That is all.”

“Don’t say like that Kannan,” said Balu, “we need not select another topic. We can modify the already said topics. That will be the best thing that can be done. We can do that in no time as we go to some hotel and have a cup of coffee along with some tiffin.”

This plan was agreed by all. So, they left the botanic garden and soon reached a small restaurant near the park. They settled themselves around a good table and ordered for potato chips and hot coffee.

Then the conversation was on why they had selected the topics they declared in the garden. That was opened by Vaithianathan.

“We are happy today. We don’t know how the future will be. Once we get a job, we will be scattered to various places. Then there won’t be much time for us to meet together like this and spend the time exchanging our views of the heart. That is why I want to express what sort of a life I like to lead!”

Next Kannan gave his view. “I already have a sound experience in life. We don’t know what will happen next. I have you as my friends. It is a fortunate thing for me. I am able to forget my worries and troubles when I am with you.

Without friends one will be like a brute and he will not have good people to talk to and get encouragement for pulling on his life further. Moreover, one can earn as much money as one likes in whatever possible way, but it will be very difficult to have good and worthwhile friends. Even if you lose everything in life, you will get solace and ideas if you have gentle friends. That is why I would like to select the topic – Friendship.”

Selvam and Gopal consulted among themselves and Gopal said, “We have informed you why we have selected such topics, when we were in the garden.”

Then Balu said, “In the name of religion many political parties have come in our country. They are neither preaching any morality nor doing any useful thing to our country. They are just deceiving the mass and filling up their bellies and pockets, when they get elected in the election. These people should be severely dealt with. Religion should be saved from the goondas. That is why I selected a topic like that.”

That conversation turned on personal things and again shifted to the life problems. So, they all liked to know what life was actually like. They decided to have a general talk on life that evening. The time was 6.45. The Bill for the tiffin came to the table. Kannan paid the Bill. They came out of the restaurant and made their way to the beach.

It looked a fresh thought had to be infused in the minds of the Haloens. Kannan paved the way for a long conversation.

“Again it has to be remembered, my friends, that the halo is a luminous reflection of the Moon’s outer rim falling on the moisture in the atmosphere creating a unique sensation to the onlooker. The foundation of our friendship was laid on the day when we saw the luminous halo of the Moon in the sky at the first meeting in our park. Mainly due to this beautiful natural phenomenon which gave us a unique pleasure on that pleasant evening we selected the name, THE HALO to our group.

The Halo is the symbol of maturity of knowledge or wisdom. This Halo is a unique beauty that has to represent and interpret what is our group whenever we happen to see it as time passes on. In so far as the things that issue out of our speeches and writings from the confluence of our thoughts we should be as creative, inventive and innovative as the fine Halo. So, dear Haloens shall I expect the process of our intellectual thought to be true to my interpretation of our Halo?”

Vaithianathan appreciated this view and said, “Mr. Kannan, your explanation regarding the importance of The Halo is sharpening our brains. In this connection, I can say that the topic – Life, which we have chosen just now is an aspect produced by the nature of other topics on which we are interested to have a discussion sooner or later. I think we can start talking on this topic.”

As a continuation of that view Balu said, “It is really an interesting evening because of the enthusiasm of all the friends of our Halo. I think it will be well if we proceed with this topic by the question and answer method so that we may not enter into the quagmire of unnecessary and vague talks like the old people do.”

To put forth his things clearly, Gopal said, “To have interesting talk on this topic, we should not have a strict rule. It will be difficult to proceed well after sometime if we adopt only one method. It is not difficult. But the thing I like to point out is that this topic is a contemplative one and there should not be any misunderstanding over anyone, if one goes wrong anywhere. If this is agreed upon, then the talk will be congenial to everyone.”

Supporting this view, Selvam said, “The question and answer method is good. But if anyone makes any mistake, it should be corrected in a mild way, or the answer should be given by somebody else in order to keep the continuity of the talk get unimpaired.”

Therefore Kannan said, “We are going to have a conversation only and not a debate. So, there need not be any condition or remarks that have to be followed. Let us be free and forget about the odds we come across. It is not going to be the ideal or the permanent thing. It is only the view, we are going to express upon life, in general.”

The inspiring talk of Kannan gave the impetus to the friends to probe, explore and discover life and to find out what is interesting, innovative and creative in life. While musing over these things they reached the sea shore. It was a Full Moon day. The sea was well exposed by the Moon light. The Stars were bright. Two ships were seen anchored at the distant sea. The broken parts of the iron rod pier protruding out of the sea for a small stretch were offering a new kind of sensation to one and all to look at them more curiously than before. The image of the Moon lying on the dancing waves below the broken iron protrusion gave a quivering artistic beauty to the whole place.

Kannan and his friends sat down on the sand seeing the beautiful scene. It became a necessity that Balu had to start with his questions. So, seeing the Stars, Balu asked Kannan, “What is life?”

Kannan answered, “What we live is life. Whoever one is, one likes to have happiness and peace. So, happiness and peace are the aim of life. If the world is full of miseries, then nobody will like to live. Therefore, it can be said that the work one does makes one’s life.”

Everyone was internally arguing about the merits and demerits of that statement. But there was no criticism from anyone.

Then Selvam put a question in general, “What is the way in which one should lead a life?”

It was a question open to all. There was a pause for sometime. Then the answers were systematically voiced by all one after the other.

First, Kannan said, “We are one among the society. We should go according to the society and at the same time we should fulfill our aim. This way we can avert quite a lot of clashes and it will be easy for anyone to overcome the obstructions on the way of our progress.”

Second, Balu proceeded, “We are the master of our own Self. We have every liberty to live in the way we like. We should not expect more and anything from others. We have to work in our own way and get satisfaction in life.”

Third, Selvam said, “We should know how to move with other people. We should know how our neighbor is. We will then have knowledge about the world. Then only we can avert troubles and can lead a life we prefer.”

Fourth, Vaithianathan said, “Discipline is important in life. Society will not do anything to individual’s life. So, we can lead a life not by copying the life our society leads but by following our own conscience. We can even lead a life away from the society and alone in the society. Then only we can develop ourselves and be a model or an example to the world. That is my way of living.”

Fifth, Gopal said, “We should lead a life by making use of our education. We should eliminate the evils of our orthodoxy both in the community and in the society. It is not necessary that we have to obey to elders always and prove ourselves to be good people. It is a sheer hypocrisy. We should fight against conventional ideas and habits and fulfill our ideals. That should be the motive of our life.”

All the views were quite interesting to each and everyone. They thought that their opinions would guide them where they were right or wrong. So, they came to the conclusion that ‘life is a kind of adventure or a kind of exploration, which everyone has to experience in order to understand the importance of it as time passes on.’ With this view in conclusion the get together came to an end.

To be Continued Next Week

September 30, 2007

The Halo Dreams : A Novel 
Writing a Novel | The Park | Philosophy | The Confusion | The Conversation
The Appointment | The Journey | The First Publication | The Change
The Secret | The Painted Veil | The Halo Magazine | The Debts | The Break
A Letter | A Surprise Letter | The Literary Muse | The Souvenir | The Questionnaire
The Reconciliation | The Lake | The Final Meets | The Surprise | The Settlements
The Result 

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