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Stories / Novel – The Halo Reams
The Halo Magazine
by TA Ramesh
The Halo
magazine got successfully released for three months or so. The articles
for the magazine were collected by the respective Assistant Editor
before the end of each month and the issue was released on the first day
of every month. Then the troubles started whenever the articles were to
be collected from the sluggish Haloens.
Balu scolded Vaithianathan, Siloam and Gopal one after the other in his
editorials whenever he took the editorship. To cultivate interest in the
minds of the Haloens towards writing articles with enthusiasm, Kannan
did what he could with his magical power of words in his editorials. In
the Comments and Suggestions column Balu bitterly criticised the good
for nothing articles. Kannan wrote a mild criticism on all the articles
in order to make them write better next time.
It was not an easy job altogether. Then came the leading editorial in
one of the issues especially from the pen of Kannan. It poured out his
heart’s helplessness and his great desire!
Better Late than Never!
IT is well understood that the editorial of our magazine is serving as a
general introduction or a forward with an inspiring encouragement to the
endurance or the perseverance of the genuine writers who have
contributed their praise worthy articles towards development, betterment
and enrichment paving the way for the perfection which everyone of us is
aiming at; or with a bitter criticism over the diligent delinquency of
some inadvertent writers, who take up the responsibility of contributing
certain articles in time but, when the magazine gets released by hook or
crook, it is quite evident to know that they are the people who with
their articles happen to swerve away from the issue to accomplish what
they promised as if they by some black magic overnight creating a
boisterous blemish to the beauty of THE HALO, which has to be curbed!
If the editorial has to be considered as an introduction or a prologue
the comments can be said as a conclusion or an epilogue. The report is
the fine record of the activities and the developments of our thoughts,
words and deeds. Halo Book Shelf, Haloens’ precipitation and Newspaper
cuttings are so entertaining and instructing that they form a single
whole which is the interlude of our magazine. Essays are to represent
the body of THE HALO whether it is narrative or descriptive, reflective
or argumentative. This particular aspect covers a major portion of our
magazine which is the part and parcel of literature and the measure or
the yardstick of the progress of our knowledge.
The Quotations and the Songs of great Authors and Poets are the
appropriate accessories essential for the embellishment of our Halo,
which form a unique link that gives pleasure to read the magazine again
and again. The precipitation of new articles is the additional assets to
the novelty of the creative activities of our Halo. “The crown of
Literature is Poetry. It is its end and aim. It is the most sublime
activities of human mind.” This is the notion of W. Somerset Maugham.
Poetry by the Haloens is the highest achievement of perfection which
makes our magazine magnanimous, magnificent and majestic as every month
marches on!
A magazine having so many attractive features in so small a size is not
a thing to be dreamt of. Besides, there should be beauty and perfection.
Who has compelled us to do so and why it should be so? It is so, because
it gives joy that knows no bound. That is why all those features should
be there.
By and large, “A thing of beauty is a joy forever,” says John Keats in
one poem. Does he stop with that? No, he says further “Beauty is truth,
truth beauty – that is all ye know on earth and all ye need to know” in
another poem! To obtain such a thing of beauty a lot of hardships have
to be faced. By my profession I opine that through writing we can
achieve a thing of beauty that can bring never ending joy for us.
Further beauty is truth; to achieve that a vast amount of knowledge is
required.
By reading books we understand many things and can enrich our knowledge.
Knowledge is power. That too, the more we know the more we can live a
purposeful life, the more we can help our fellow men, the more we can
understand the constantly changing and sometimes complex world, in which
we operate. With the strength of our knowledge, we can write some thing
worthwhile and clear. Perfection in writing is acquired or conquered
through constant practice, endurance, patience and confidence.
Perfection is beauty. Once our knowledge is powerful, our writing will
be truthful and perfect.
It is too ridiculous to think of achieving such a thing of beauty in a
short span of time without any effort. It is better late than never to
take such an effort to achieve such a goal that brings consummate
happiness. That is why this magazine is getting released a bit late; but
it gives a thrilling joy to the heart! That is the thing we are after
all striving hard in our life! And what else we require in this world?
~*~
With great difficulty the Reports of the Halo meets were written by the
reporters concerned. Even in that Vaithianathan managed to submit not
even a single report though the magazine had completed one year of its
life. The release of the magazine took place beyond the scheduled time.
Often the publication of the issue was not predictable. Again to purge
the weak mentality of Vaithianathan and Selvam as far as that artistic
work was concerned, Kannan wrote another editorial to bring about a
change in them.
Things to Think!
It is quite pleasing to see that the magazine has completed one full
year! In this one year ten issues have turned out well covering eleven
months with one exceptional issue embracing two months. The magazine
took French leave on one particular month in 1973 and that was entirely
due to the professional inadvertent ability of one particular editor of
the Haloens! Whatever be the short comings, it is quite justifiable to
say that the magazine has excelled all gloomy hopes of some of the
Haloens who were of the opinion that the dusk of THE HALO would come
soon (which was said some two months before now}. The release of the
issues, though not before the stipulated time, is done at least before
the end of each month and this itself proves that that gloomy opinion of
those Haloens is quite false and absurd.
Seldom is the surety of man’s existence guaranteed in the present age of
anxiety. None should feel that there could be any change; nor should
think that it could be difficult. All depends upon the ability of the
individuals to bring rehabilitation in the gloomy minds of many. The
same pessimistic views of the several are prevailing in the minds of our
Haloens too at times. This is only due to lack of drive or enthusiasm or
inspiration.
Man is noted for his erring and forgetful nature. The intention should
be high. In the process of implementing many wonderful ideas many
obstructions of unforeseen nature will come. On such occasions great
intention should not be bifurcated and purposeful ideas diversified. It
is always there that “one good turn deserves another!” With this in mind
every problem should be isolated for thorough analysis so as to find out
a suitable solution to solve it and the course of pursuit with the
pleasing encouragement or drive of great philosophers has to be
continued in order to fulfill the highly cherished intention.
What should be the intention depends upon the varying strength of the
talents of the individuals and that is left to the detection of the
individuals. Why the intention should be high should not be asked. What
should be the intention should be thought over and if it is difficult
must be discussed among the individuals.
Great thinkers are seldom unsuccessful in life. Genuine thinking made
them set right any intricate situation or solve any difficult problem
procuring them irrefutable titles such as wise, noble, sagacious,
genius, etc. Solomon, Shanakya and Shakespeare are the few for example
among the so many like them. Thinking made them wise. And their works
are still remarkable and invaluable. All this is because of their
precious mind.
In times of difficulties, especially when the question of dealing some
precious work concerned with life or art, it is quite common for
everyone to have effable anxiety as to how to pursue it or as to how to
complete it. If it is left as it is that may lead them to any form of
misery and remain as an irreparable blemish in their career. On those
situations attention should be drawn towards the works of great men and
a drive or inspiration could be obtained, when the secret of their
success is realised which would make a messy affair a simple one.
You may think why it is should be uncorked after going so far away. To
put it plain, the mind that knows how to defend and offend in the game
of Chess can be utilised in the same manner in life too because life is
after all a Chess game in reality!
~*~
Perhaps this was gingerly delicious and sounding too much for the author
of the Swinging Generation, Selvam and the author of Why I Wish to
Sleep, Vaithianathan. For Gopal and Balu this was quite encouraging to
take bold steps more in life than in writing articles alone. Mainly due
to Vaithianathan and then Selvam the release of THE HALO magazine came
to an indefinite halt.
After a few months due to Balu’s effort Vaithianathan and Selvam agreed
to contribute articles to THE HALO magazine. Kannan was requested to
write the editorial. He wrote the editorial in his characteristic style.
To Resume and Proceed
For a long time our magazine was in concealment. The reason for such a
disappearance was due to the inability of the Haloens to cooperate among
themselves and to have a strong will to develop this art for useful and
progressive purposes. Had this been realised earlier, there wouldn’t
have arisen certain inevitable questions one after the other in the
minds of the Haloens in general.
One Haloen (Vaithianathan) felt that “we failed to realise where we
are.” He got unbelievable astonishments. One such one is – “How far we
have drifted away from the so-called ambitions and goals! Something was
always missing!”
Why there should come such a situation? Will the following suggestion of
another Haloen (Gopal) be suitable to overcome that? “Look here, it is
in the way you take it. Let there be any number of difficulties; but you
yourself should not get depressed. As regards your mind you must be
entirely aloof from every outer activity. Take it easy and think only
about your ideals; to have mind in a standard position give more work to
it rather than to keep it quiet.”
Ignorance is the cause for many difficulties. That is why knowledge has
to be developed in all the fields.
The first Haloen again says something to solve the knowledge problem as
follows:
“Now the question that stands before us is TO START, WHAT TO START? To
start exploring the kingdom of knowledge – the world, land, people,
customs, manners and almost all walks of life!”
A third Haloen (Balu) feels as follows:
“I have a yearning to explore into that Ultimate Reality, the true value
of things and the philosophy of life.”
So, what are the tools required to deal with these crises? The same
first Haloen discloses those weapons that are useful for the purpose.
They are – “We have Kannan to deal with Poetry and Literature, Gopal to
deal with Science and Technology, Selvam to deal with Law, Sociology and
Politics, Balu to deal with Tamil and Hindi Literature and Vaithianathan
to deal with Philosophy and Religion.”
Further he adds some more things as follows:
“The longest journey starts with the smallest step!”
“Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached!”
I think this is sufficient. So, writing articles and publishing this
magazine are inevitable affairs for all the Haloens.
To make this magazine interesting some more features are required. These
features can solve the frequent problems of everyone. The third Haloen
has given some suggestions for improvement. They are as follows:
1. Book Review – wherein one can give the details of a good book one has
read recently. This will be an interesting one.
2. Hot Spot – wherein one can write about a burning problem.
3. While pasting paper cuttings, we may also include our comments on its
contents.
4. Question and Answer Column – wherein all the members can put forth
their questions on any subject. Any other Haloen/s who is/are interested
in answering them may do so in the space provided for.
Views and further suggestions are invited from everyone regarding the
aforesaid features. As far as my opinion is concerned all the four items
are quite inevitable.
In fact novelties were taking place as the magazine was coming out
regularly in the past. The exploration work has already started. The
equipments were not properly handled. Now, what has to be done is to
resume this work and proceed with it by using the weapons of everyone’s
interest in a disciplined way. If this is done properly, I think, all
the problems can be solved in a civilised way.
~*~
Hardly fifteen to sixteen issues had been released covering one year and
half. After the magazine work came to a stop, the Halo meets also came
to a stop! Two years had gone away!
The Halo had faded away into thin air. The friends of the Halo group had
scattered to different directions. THE TREASURE office had dwindled into
nothing. Kannan returned back home with much depression and heavy heart.
In the completely changed circumstances, every Haloen did what he could
and they were just pulling on the days with dejection and no interest.
After sometime, Balu was transferred form Pudhu Town to New Delhi
Vaithianathan had become a Sales Tax officer and was in Coimbatore.
Selvam had gone to Madras to work as a junior lawyer under a new lawyer
there. Gopal was taking tuition classes for Matriculation students and
was studying final year of Law Course which had finally became his
life’s ambition.
–
Continued
November 18, 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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