K Santhosh Kumar, editor,Saturday Digest Online Magazine, writes about M K Harikumar
Meet Mr. MK
Everyone whom I met in my life so far told me that I am a lone-wolf. And all of them whom I met are lone-wolves like me. Each one whom I met ultimately withdrew to himself or herself like tortoises that seek shelter within its shell.
When I met MK accidently sometimes a couple of years back I felt the same about him: here's another tortoise!
But I was proved wrong for the first time! Here's a guy who speak, write and think with pregnant words! Here's a guy who dreams in words! Here's a guy who colors life not with paint but with words! Here's is a guy who rip through the rock-hard shells of the society using his harp words. Here's is a guy who blows open the innards of the so-called Malayalam Literature with his words and throws it out to the vultures to feed on.
To be honest I never mentally accept anyone as a true friend unless I thoroughly study him or her. I am reluctant to accept anything as it is even now. So I did not accepted him first as a friend. But did accept him as an acquaintance only. It is my nature to remain sceptical and analytical till I find myself comfortable with a person. So I remained aloof from MK for some time immediately after our first meeting.
I began to study MK. Suddenly I found out that he is genuinely honest. Not a trait that could be seen in people today. MK is honest to the core. Perhaps too honest to live in this society. His honesty has been exploited by many of his friends .
MK is simple, but simply complex at times. MK is honest, but sceptical about everything. MK is dedicated in anything he is really interested.
I introduced MK to the limitless freedom of the internet one day. It was a turning point in his very career. Soon he created almost a Tsunami in the blog circles in internet, especially among the Malayalee Bloggers. He even asked me to start blogging, which I thought till then is not the cup of tea for me.
He was right. And is right. Soon the history of internet blogging was re-written by MK when he invited the wrath of other bloggers through his honest observations. Even the print media in Kerala was dragged into the fray. But the Malayalam Media is afraid of MK. As usual the print media caters only psychophants of theirs. MK is not a psychophant. Will never be too. That isolates him out from the crowd of letter-writers. That alone elevates him to the status of a literate genius.
To me MK is a book. Every time I read it, I have to begin from chapter 1 onwards. Reason: every time the words of his get new depths and shades in its intended meanings. At the surface MK's works look like an ocean that is restless and disturbed. In the depths, there is supernatural tranquility and limitless magnitude of meanings.
I write this to do justice my conscious about our relationship. I'm afraid you don't understand me. If so, it is because you don't understand MK. Ever. There's nothing to be misunderstood in anyone's life. Not in MK's or mine. That is our relationship. 
2
Life is a journey. In this exodus, one is likely to meet someone else who share the same feelings and understandings as that you have. In my case it happened accidentally a couple of years back. I met M.K. Harikumar.
I still remember the day when Harikumar came to my home as a stranger to me, searching for me to do some personal work for his friend. Not for any works of his. That shocked me. Here's a man seeking my help for one of his many friends, not for himself. And that day, over a cup of hot tea our friendship began.
I was astonished at his sincerity and enthusiasm to help others. Later, I found out that people were taking a ride on his talents, sincereity and honesty. It took some time for me to realize how talented Harikumar was and how well known he is in the Malayalam literary circles. I also came to know of his "Aksharajaalakam", a regular column published in a leading weekly in Kerala where he was working then as a journalist. But never did I read it until some time later.
After leaving the college, I lost touch with any Malayalam contemporary literature that appeared in the run-of-the-mill publications in Kerala. I knew, the "standards" of many leading weeklies were withering down in the course of time. The publication industry was struggling to keep their editorial staff glued to their desks somehow. I knew it because I was also a journalist with a leading newspaper in Chennai. Main reason for me to loose touch with the contemporary Malayalam was that I was in Chennai for most of my life after education.
However, I wanted to know the real worth of Harikumar as he has been calling me regularly and talk over phone for long time about subjects I seldom took interest in. So I decided to 'investigate' him through his columns with the idea that if he is not the 'sort' I expect, I must tell him blatantly that I do not want to be disturbed by him. I took a weekly where his columns are published, one day and browsed through his Aksharajaalakam. There, I saw his real worth. I realized how talented he is, how dedicated he is and above all how sincere and honest he is.
He is restless at the very sight of injustice. He is at the same time very reluctant to say a "no" to anyone. Unlike me he is apparently rough, not diplomatic and very quick to jump to conclusions. I know Harikumar won't take my rambling seriously. But I tell the truth.
He can dissect a writer, like a student dissects a frog in the lab, and take out his innards of creativity. He can point out what is right and what is untrue. He can tell easily how honest an author is to his work. He can take a reader with him into the fathomless depths of meanings in life that is reflected in a work. Be it a short story, novel, essay or drama, Harikumar's approach to them is uncompromising. He is cent percent a "genuine" critic in Malayalam.
