എല്ലാ മണ്ണിനുംവേണ്ടി കൃഷിചെയ്യണം,
മരിച്ചവരുടെ രുചികള് നോക്കി.
മണ്ണുകള് മൌനം പാലിക്കുക സ്വാഭാവികമാണ്.
എന്നാല് അവയോട് നിരന്തരം
സംവദിക്കുക എന്നത് നമ്മുടെ വിധിയും.
എല്ലാ തരിശും ഫലഭൂയിഷ്ടമായ
കാലം അകലെയല്ല.
ചതുപ്പുകള് ആകാശത്തിന്റേതായാലും
കൃഷിയിറക്കുക.
ഓര്മ്മകള് അവിശ്വാസം രേഖപ്പെടുത്തി
മനസ്സിനെ വലയ്ക്കുന്നു.
എല്ലാം വേര്തിരിച്ചെടുക്കാനാവാതെ
കുഴയുന്നു.
ഒരു ഇലയില് എല്ലമുണ്ട്.
ജീവിതവും കിനാവും.
ഒന്ന് ചിരിക്കാനും വിലവേണം.
ചിരി അവിടെയുണ്ടെങ്കില്
എന്തിന് അതു പുറത്ത് കാണിക്കണം?
ചിരി ഉണ്ടെന്ന് സങ്കല്പ്പിക്കുന്നത് പോലും
ചിരിയാണ്.
ചിരിക്ക് എന്തിനാണ് ഒരു പാരിതോഷികം?
ചിരി ഒരിക്കലും മറ്റുള്ളവര്ക്ക് വേണ്ടിയല്ലാതെയാകുമ്പോള്.
ഒരു ചിരിയും മറ്റാരെയും തേടുന്നില്ല.
അല്ല തേടുന്നു, ഓരോ ചിരിയും മറ്റുള്ളവരുടെ
ചിരിയുടെ അര്ത്ഥം തേടുന്ന
ആ കാലം വന്നു കഴിഞ്ഞു.
ഒന്ന് ചിരിക്കാന് പേടിയാണ്.
ആ ചിരി ഒരു തെറ്റായ അര്ത്ഥത്തെ പുറത്തേക്ക്
എടുത്തിടില്ലെന്ന് എങ്ങനെ ഉറപ്പിക്കാനാവും?
ചിരിക്കാന് ശരിക്കും ഭയമാണ്.
ഒരു മഴ വന്നപ്പോള്
ഒരു പ്രണയവും ഒപ്പം വന്നു.
മഴ മാറിയപ്പോള്
ഒരു വിരഹവും.
മഴ ഒന്നും എഴുതാനോ
മായ്ക്കാനോ ശ്രമിക്കുന്നില്ല.
പാപിയായാലും പുണ്യവാനായാലും
മഴയ്ക്ക് വിവേചനമില്ല.
അതുമതി.
sukshmananda swami
”.There are different types of ambitions and additions in the air. But nothing is tangible.”
Harikumar wrote.
This kind of knowing and feeling is very evident in his works, mainly in his column AKSHARA JAALAKAM’
I think that by criticising the myriad aspects of our life , he has broken the old intellectual conservative acceptablity of the accademic thoughts.
I think by criticising the traditional ways of thinking, especially in the interior mechanism of making ideas , we are used to experience all forms of art, but a lot of it has to be replaced.
It is possible only by this brave attempt to think as a free man .
It is the relevance and significance of Harikumar.
I have great trust in him.
Harikumar’s talks and his writings are very organic and sincere.
He has a profound knowledge of discovering things and meanings in the pursuit of Truth.
We all know every walks of life is now rapidly becoming inorganic and artificial .It is a continuous process of compromise and surrender.
It is a feeling of synthetic and superficial touch.
As a writer Harikumar is totally different from this in more than one way.
He is so simple, at the sametime very profound.
Similarly, his concern to this world and to the other world is very much sane and very balanced.
It is laudable.
I cannot ignore the liberative effect in his writings.The essential part of it is a new invention of human vision and future.
The present scenario in the world of writing is not much encouraging, a visible poverty of insights and lack of grand new perceptions seems to be one of the many reasons for this retarded like situation in our literature.
Harikumar is a rare exemption and he is able to address this retardedness and capable to give assistance to the liberating process.
In order to go beyond the retardations , let’s listen to him to know in the way how he deals it.
Read his poem
Oh, sunset why are you in grief?
Have the primitive times
wept about us?
No, never.
Because we have been
flag bearers
of primordial
love.
Then, why sunset, you are in grief?
Is it true grief?
Or are you in moments of prayer
within the miniscule,
surreptitious molecules
assembled within
your heart?
Why your color-changes
are so momentous?
Oh how aged are
the sobs
that you carry within
you?
The chronology
of memoirs
in which human
souls stroll:
The pictures you
painted with
ancient myths.
An anonymous
voice from somewhere
asks “why you are
in chronic grief?”
It spreads like a
shooting pain
from deep within.
You are the sole
witness t o all
the lust, passion
and orgasmic
ectasies;
Life drenched
in dreams
withers on the way side.
As you chant
mutely the vedic mantras
they turn into a collage
of portraits true to life
A breeze gives wings
to the broken pieces
of the past
The grief of the
sundown turns
into immortal
temptations of
existence
dried up by oceans.
The distressin g repetition
of romantic images;
You always flee;
your journey itself
is your doom;
Your entire words are
just statutes of beauty
which helps you to hide
from haunting
alphabets;
Are you putting
out the fire of
our sexual passions?
They were just within
our grasp,
but shattered
during th e sky-splitting
festival fireworks.
Why are you silent
even to miserable
lovebirds like
the two of us?
The voluminous
glossary
and depressing
color schemes
in your silence-
Are they your
creative self or not?
Why do you
gather strands of darkness
and bring them back always?
What is there
in your eyes?
Are they
monuments
of beauty
demolished
by history?
Are you letting your
silence devour the
agony and ecstasy
of others?
Oh, sunset why are
you knitting
the night clouds?
Will you le nd
your garments
to cover my nudity?
The paddy fields
celebrate your gloom.
Are you packing off those
who lost their
smiles in the streets
blanketed by blood?
An axe is heading
towards you;
Are you going to hide
once again in the echoing
spiritual hymns
mounting from within
the temple walls?
Who accompanies you
in the journey across
unknown galaxies?
Birds or bird flights?
We are degenerating everyday by using the superficial art and its many manifestations.
We are misguided and misled by these propaganda.
Some people determine the worst thing as super, then many people come forward and try to establish this.
Here, Harikumar makes a different way to feel one’s own inner state .
His notion of writings is changed much.
He can nurture the freedom of thought in all respects.
If one can experience the freedom of contemplation , he can attain the supreme reality.
We are chained in our thoughts.
So we have to free ourselves.
That Harikumar does.
Gathering the facts of knowing and acquiring the inner depths is more difficult.
Our literary scene is lacking a deep understanding of the contemporary world view.
Instead Harikumar treats every bit of knowledge as a ladder to enter in the more sensible awareness of the universe.
Here thoughts have no rest.
It is endless.
നിശ്ശബ്ദത ഒരു വലിയ ജീവിതമാണ്.
എന്നാല് ഈ ജീവിതത്തില്
നമ്മള് വലിയ ഒറ്റപ്പെടല് അനുഭവിക്കുകയാണ്.
ഒറ്റപ്പെടല് ഒരു കാവ്യ ഭാവനയാണ്.
കുറേ ചെറിയ കാര്യങ്ങളെ
വലുതാക്കി ഷോകേസ് ചെയ്യാനുള്ള വഴി.
എന്നാല് ഏത് കവി വിചാരിച്ചാലും
ജീവിതം നന്നാവില്ല.
അതിന് ആരിലും ഒന്നും പ്രതീക്ഷിക്കാനില്ല.
ജീവിതം എത്രയോ മുമ്പേ
എല്ലാം എഴുതുന്നു ,മായ്ക്കുന്നു.
ആര്ക്കും മനസ്സിലാകാത്ത
ചിത്രങ്ങള് ജീവിതത്തിനുള്ളതാണ്.
ഒരു പക്ഷി വന്ന് ചാമ്പമരത്തിലിരുന്നു.
ഒരു പരമ്പരാഗത കവിക്ക്
അത് കവിതയാണ്.
എന്നാല് പക്ഷി ഒരു പാട്ട്
കേള്ക്കാന് പോലും അശക്തമാണ്.
അതിന്റെ കാലില് ഏതോ പ്രകൃതിവിരുദ്ധന്
എയ്തുവിട്ട കല്ല് തറച്ച് ചോരയിറ്റുന്നുണ്ട്.
ഇല്ല ,കവിതയൊന്നുമില്ല
ഇതിലെങ്കിലും കവിതയുണ്ടാകരുതെന്ന്
നിര്ബന്ധമുണ്ട്.
ഒരിക്കല്പോലും കവിതയാകാതിരിക്കാന്
ആ പറവ പറന്നുകൊണ്ടേയിരിക്കുകയാണ്.
അതിനിടയില് അതിന് നിത്യജോലിയില്പോലും
ശ്രദ്ധിക്കാന് പറ്റുന്നില്ല.
മുറിവ്, വേദന, പക്ഷി എന്നൊക്കെ കേട്ടാല്
കവികള് വ്യാജ സത്യവാങ്ങ്മൂലവുമായി
ചാടിവീഴുമെന്ന് അതിന്
ഇതിനോടകം മനസ്സിലായിട്ടുണ്ട്.
ഒരു പക്ഷിക്ക് തനിക്ക് വേണ്ടിപ്പോലും
ജീവിക്കാന് കഴിയാത്ത അവസ്ഥ നല്ലതല്ല .
ചില സമയത്ത് നമ്മള്
ആരോടും ഒന്നും പറയരുത്.
ആര്ക്കും ഒന്നും മനസ്സിലാകില്ല.
ഒന്നിലും മനസ്സിലാക്കാന് ഒന്നുമില്ല
എന്ന് തോന്നിപ്പിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് ചില മൌനങ്ങള്
ജീവിതത്തെ വല്ലാതെ അപഹസിക്കും!
ഒരിക്കല് നമുക്ക് എല്ലാ അര്ത്ഥങ്ങളും
ഉണ്ടാകുന്നു.
അതേപോലെ ഒരിക്കല് എല്ലാ സൂചനകളും
നഷ്ടമാകുന്നു.
ഒന്നുകില് നമ്മള് ഒരു യാഥാര്ത്ഥ്യമേയല്ല.
മറ്റുള്ളവരാണ് നമ്മളെ
നിര്വ്വചിക്കുന്നത് ,
ഉണ്ടെന്ന് ഭാവിക്കുന്നത്,
ഇല്ലാതാക്കുന്നത്.
ഒരു മുഖം ഓരോ
നിമിഷത്തിലൂടെയും
എണ്ണിയാലൊടുങ്ങാത്ത
നാദവീചികളുണ്ടാക്കുന്നു .
എവിടെയോ പോയി തിരിച്ചു
വരുന്ന നാം ഒരു നാദത്തിലൂടെയും
സ്വയം തിരിച്ചറിയുന്നുമില്ല.
Chev .Prof. Baby M Varghese
Speaking about the brand of writers I am tempted to say that some writers are born and some othersc are made.Our writers are seen grouped under such categories in view of their attitude and aptitude.M K Harikumar , belonging to the first rare band of writers, is noted for his originality. If originality is measured by the yardstick of invention of events or incidents or episodes he can claim too be an original writer.
He may not be a popular writer and poplarity is not that measures one;s originality.This impression is based on my reflections on AKSHARAJAALAKAM’ , a regular feature of Kala Kaumudi’.
‘ AKSHARAJAALAKAM‘ serves the purpose of a mirror holding up to nature. It is a literary casement reflecting a lot of things drawn from life and literature. It brings out the luminous mind of the columnist perceiving with critical acme. He views things in his own unique style.AKSHARAJAALAKAM, no doubt , is a magic window opening to a variety of things and experience.
My special reference goes to certain issues of august 2008.Harikumar suggests two phases in each column maintaining a uniform pattern.
The first reference is all about a particular theme and the treatment of which is very striking.Every issue is brought out with Harikumar’s special touch. It may be about men and m,atters;it may be about literary theories and concepts. There is nithing uncommon about the things said but there is something strange about the way of saying it.
Then he goes on to reflect his responses on various aspectsof life and literature, ancient and modern, in the next phase. You may or may not agree with his conclusions. But it exhibits his own style or vision; it shows his ‘brand’. His mission is neither pleasing nor disgusting. It is the expression of his impressions without any prejudices. There are bits of knowledge , packed with novel ideas. It is eithe due to his critical appreciation or evaluation of things drawn from life and art. Whatever is dealt with under the sun has its own originality and sensibility.Openness and stubbornness attribute to his masculine style. He is carried off by an ocean of events, sights or experiences in the second of Aksharajaalakam.
In the issue of August 3 Harikumar introduces Jugu Surayya as a powerful columnist at whose magical touch everything turns in to humorous vein in the light shade of philosophy. His writings suggest that it is cruel to laugh at the poor and good to laugh at the rich – ‘ a Jugular philosophy of life.’His column in the’ Times of India’ entitled as ‘Jugular vein’ is highly suggestive of his subtle humour and powerful satire.
Harikumar looks upon Oscar Wilde with deep concern in another issue of August 10 Oscar Wilde was held in high esteem by people all over the world during the last century.Oscar has become a legend like Shakespeare and his name is more than a ‘brand’ in literature. The passage of time doesnot make him out fashioned; he is still contemporary in the way of dealing with. This Irish writer , just like Shakepseare , is not of an age but for all time.
In the last issue of August Harikumar expounds a new theory of art in the context of the modern life. His views on art may not go in agreement with the traditional concepts of – Art for Art’s Sake or Art for Life’s Sake. He says art is not for life nor life for art. It is nothing but the application of artthat matters. Art is deemed to be a consumer item. Harikumar states that in the din and bustle of modern life we are busy and we develop a very miserly attiyude towards reading – no time for reading books nor doing things in an elaborate style. We are driven by a glimpse of things .In the busy schedule one is confined to oneself suited to the rhythm of ‘ring tone ‘ says Harikumar.
These arguements do not conform to those of the established schools of art.First, art is for art’s sake and it is like a bud that blossoms. It is a spontaneous creativity without any pressure. It is
due to the irresistable urge from within.Secondly, art for life’s sake is a very common theory bringing out the social aspect of it. Art is, no doubt, life seen through temperament. Art , being the expression of life, cannot devoid of it. It keeps a mirror up to nature or life.There is no literature without life and literature, at bottom, is ‘ the criticism of life’.These arguements were very prevalent and at the time of Mundassery and Kuttikrishna Marar.
‘ To be great is to be misunderstood’. Harikumar’s’ Aksharajaalakam’, a powerful literary and contemporary exercise , bears testimony to this Emerson’s statement.
Chev. Prof. Baby M. Varghese
Principal;
MAR BASELEOUS College
KOTHAMANGALAM
M.K Harikumar was born at Koothattukulam, [ in ernakulam district] on 30th July 1962. He studied at the Koothattukulam Government UP School and later joined Deva Matha College at Kuravilangadu for his B. A. ,was his main stream of study there. After finishing BA he joined for his M A in Nirmala College, Moovattupuzha.
m k has written plays and presented on stage ,while he was studying u p classes.m k was a sportsman too.He was proficient in Pole Vault and High Jump.He played Foot Ball and Basket Ball as well.so M K is a personality who can still play not in the field, but with words also.As usual, after completing his Post Graduation he returned to home for the next three years to read, read and then to write.
Although since existence became a necessity with an ordinary post graduation, Harikumar started a private college and started teaching English and malayalam, not Economics. His penchant for the language was evident since then. Side by side with the tuition, he read on almost all the literary books that were available in his neighbourhood libraries.As reading made him think, he started writing too.
Still a necessity for a job was intense for him.The tuition stopped, as his concentration switched to writing more. But survival became important. Just then after three or four years of self-inflicted uncertainity, he joined as a sub Editor in Mangalam Daily in Kottayam. That was his stepping stone to journalism. Soon he became the Desk Chief there. So increased his responsibilites too. At that stage he even feared whether he would never write again anything other than the conventional news or rewirte the reader’s mails.
The realization was a shock to him. But the realization of existing as a writer shocked him even more. So he continued journalism till he joined Kerala Kaumudi hoping for better propsects.He joined kerala Kaumudi as a reporter, and later became Bureau Chief in Ernakulam. He learned to live frugally with his income along with a nucleus family of his own since then.But the writer in him was restless as ever.By this time, he published quite a lot of articles of his own in the current publications. He even started his popular column “Aksharajaalakam” in Kalakaumudi by then.MK started writng from school onwards, in fact.
But that was what a boy of his age could do. As a school boy he participated in oratory competions.His first article was an introduction to the compiliation of three stories published[1980] by Subhash Charvaaka at Kuthattukulam. Soon he was writing in Samkramanam Magazine published from Thiruvanandapuram.That was only a beginning. Then followed many articles from his pen and continued the writing till this time.The first book of MK was published in 1984. It was a study of O V Vijayan’s novel Khasakkinte Ithihasam. The work was called “Aathmayangalude Khasak”.
With that single critical work, M K was shot into fame. He became a recognized writer. Since then several books were published as follows:
2] Manushyambaranthangal- the horizon of human thought.- study of novels and poems[1989]3] Kadha Aadhunikathakk Shesham– tracing the works after the period of modern short stories.[2000]
4]Veenapoovu Kaavyangalkku Munpe– it studies the VEENAPOOVU ofKumaranasan is the land mark poem in malayalam literature.[2002]
5]Ahambodhathinte Sargathmakatha– a study of short stories of prominent writers.[1995]
6]Puthiya Kavithayude Darsanam– an enquiry in to the new poetry.[2003]
7]Akshara Jaalakam– this is a compiliation of writings in his Kerakaumudi column[ 2004]
8]Navaadwaitham – a study of O V Vijayan’s novels[ 2006 ]
Incidently MK with his friends has instituted an Award for the latest developements in malayalam Literature in the name of Khasak Awards[1995]. It has been distributed without fail since the last 13 years to some noted writers in Malayalam Literature. It focuses on literary studies than mere fiction or poem.It is his regular critical column “Aksharajaalakam” in Kala Kaumiudi that made him a noted figure in Malayalam Literary circles as a critic. His criticism on everything and anything is one that was never seen in malayalam since its birth.
He now lives with his wife Anitha, and his two daughters: Malavika and Hima at Tripunithura.MK’s other activities include blogging and a mission to plant about Ten Million Trees all over the Globe.He has contributed more than 150 poems both in English and Malayalam in his array of Blogs. Both he takes as his passion than as fun. He has even created a ripple in the internet blogging community a couple of years back.
Right now he has now more than five blogs. Mk has started a publishing house also in the name of Bluemango Books. It has already published translated versions of Poems and Novels and has given its annual awards to the best student writer last year.The award is still open, and u can get more details of that from here.
Now MK spends time writing, editing books, and blogging.
m k harikumar pages 