It is the morning time. A person is engaged in reading a newspaper in his placid cabin. It is the cabin in a hospital and the person reading a news paper is the world famous personality Dr. Raghunathan. He is world famous in the sense that his charm of magical abilities in the profession of medicines has spread all over the world. He is heart surgeon and has been responsible for giving life to many heart patients worldwide. His hospital is always replete with the patients from all corners of the nation and widely from the distant corners of the world. Sometimes he is invited to U.S.A. and United Kingdom for performing very delicate and critical heart surgeries. When a patient comes to know that he will be operated by Dr. Raghunathan, he becomes sure that it will be a success as such is the name, fame and recognition of Dr. Raghunathan. Patients feel half cured with the very presence of Dr. Raghunathan. He has performed ample heart surgeries and never failure could dare to spoil his hands. Dr. Raghunathan and success has become popular equation. His surgery skills make him one of the richest people in Bangalore. For the accommodation of a large number of patients, he has built a huge, capacious and splendid hospital in one of the lanes of Bangalore.
Everyday there is never ending rush of the patients. But today the hospital seems to be a little crowdy as most of the heart patients have been relived with successful heart surgeries. Dr. Raghunathan is so busy that he rarely gets time to throw a look at the newspaper. It is on one of such mornings, he finds some leisure which he uses for casting a look at the newspaper. Suddenly a young and beautiful receptionist disturbs the placidity of the cabin and brings Dr. Raghunathan back from the world of newspaper. She comes with the message that a couple has been waiting to see him. The doctor asks her to send them in. The couple has come with a huge bouquet. Dr. Raghunathan gratefully receives the bouquet of flowers and welcomes them. The husband uncovers the intention of their coming saying that they have come here to express their sincerest gratitude for giving a new life to the couple. The husband of the woman says that it is because of his magical hands, he could live and see this beautiful world otherwise he had lost his hopes. Dr. Raghunathan does not remember the couple as he has performed so many surgeries in India and abroad and so it is not so easy to remember whom he met where and when? Doctor thanks them and offers a cup of tea. After having tea and finishing their talk, the couple disperses.
Immediately after the departure of the couple, there comes a rich, well dressed woman. It’s Mrs. Janaki Raghunathan, the wife of the doctor. She too does her medicine practice in the same hospital. Mrs. Janaki Raghunathan is Gynecologist. She too is responsible for many successful natural deliveries and caesarian of women. Her medicinal powers have enabled many barren women to conceive. She has successfully conducted the experiment of test tube baby program in her hospital and given women the pleasure of womanhood which cannot be complete without attaining the ability to be a mother. She has given children to many women and heirs to many childless but affluent families.
Unfortunate thing about this couple is that they are personally troubled by a grave concern. It is the inability of Mrs. Janaki Raghunathan to conceive. They are married for eight years yet Mrs. Janaki Raghunathan is still going through the state of childlessness. The doctor couple has taken the treatment and advice of widely acknowledged and most successful doctors in the field of gynecology in and out of India. But nothing could bring to her the happiness of being a mother. The concern corrodes the family and steals the cheerfulness from their life. Being doctors, they don’t believe in magic of spiritual powers. Even if they want to believe, their rational conscience won’t let them do it. This may be the reason that they never visit any temple nor they consult with any ‘Baba’ who can give them a ‘mantra’ to overcome the concern of infertility.
Once, grandmother of Mrs. Janaki Raghunathan comes to stay with them. She has deliberately come to stay with them so that she can share a few words of wisdom with the troubled couple. The great grand lady suggests that there is a very popular temple of goddess in a village at a distance of 25 kilometers away from Bangalore and it is believed and it is a deeply rooted conviction among the people that if an infertile woman worships this Goddess, the barren woman is blessed with the child and this has been proved to be true number of times. She wants that the couple should visit the temple of Goddess and try to gain her blessing. Initially, the couple is not ready to do it, but on consistent requesting approach of their grandmother, they finally decide to visit that magical place.
On one fine and fresh morning, the couple goes to the temple and performs necessary rituals and returns home. A few months after the visit to the temple, magically Mrs. Janaki becomes pregnant bringing never ending fountains and showers of cheerfulness to the troubled and frustrated Dr. Raghunathan. The jubilant couple sends the note of gratitude to the grandmother giving credit of pregnancy to her and now their Goddess who has removed the darkness of despair from their lives. The couple wholeheartedly admits that it is the blessing of the goddess in the temple. The day of delivery comes, after a lot of pains; Mrs. Janaki gives birth to male child which takes the couple above the Moon. The news of birth of male child in Doctor’s family spreads like fragrance all over. Cured patients, doctors, colleagues and his social political acquaintances shower on the couple the flowers of congratulations. Many come to congratulate and to see them personally to be the part of and witness of this most memorable event in the life of the doctor couple. Naming ceremony of the baby is arranged. Baby boy is named “Palak”. People from all fields give their presence on this occasion.
Once, the couple visits the temple to express their feeling of gratitude and get blessings of the goddess. Dr. Raghunathan observes that the temple is quite small and in -capacious and want of facilities and causes lot of inconveniences to the devotees. Suddenly an idea comes in his mind to do some work of happiness for the temple as a part of his feeling of gratitude. After coming from the temple, Dr. Raghunathan shares his plan to expand and reconstruct the temple with his wife. Dr. Janaki who too gets overwhelmed by this idea. They call their architect friend and put the plan before him. He agrees and makes wonderful outline of the proposed temple which is finally approved. As it is a huge plan it takes years for completion. Dr. Raghunathan finding time from his busy schedule visits the construction site of the temple.
Once, a poor widow comes with her ailing son in the hospital. She tells the Doctor that the son has been suffering from heart problem since he was eight years old. But due to poor financial condition and as there is no one to support her; she unwillingly avoided to take him to the doctor. But the ailing condition of her son has reached its serious stage and hearing Doctor’s name, she has come here. She begs the doctor to save her son. The doctor takes the boy in the operation theater examines him and comes to the conclusion that the heart of the baby needs to be operated. Doctor tells her that the son’s heart problem which can be cured by an operation which would charge her one lakh rupees. On hearing the huge amount, the poor widow feels to be fainted doctor controls and offers her a glass of water so that she would feel comfortable. She tells the doctor that she cannot afford to spend such a huge amount and hurriedly she takes her son back. The tears begin to come out of the eyes of the woman. Doctor asks her, “What is the reason of your tears?” To this she replies that she lost her husband a few years back. He was a great drunkard. He sold all that he had to quench his thirst for wine and keeping us hungry permanently. When he died, she did not have money to perform his cremation ritual. Some elderly gentle men helped her and paid some money so that she could perform the funeral rituals. He went leaving her to die with this dying son. After her husband’s death, she began to work as maid servant earning the money which would give her two times food for her little family. She says to Doctor that she wants to take her son back as she cannot afford the expenses and ironically says let him die, she does not care for it at least it would free her permanently from the routine concern.
Doctor gets moved by the record of the suffering of woman’s life. Without wasting a moment, he prepares for the operation. After an hour, Doctor comes out of the operation theatre gives a smile of success to the anxious poor widow outside. He calls her in and tells her that operation is successful and the boy is alright now. Without taking a single rupee, Doctor discharges the boy. Mother does not have words to say thanks. Giving a weeping smile to Doctor, she takes the son and goes away. Doctor feels happy for what he has done. He thinks that this is profession in real sense. But on the very next moment, he feels troubled over the discreet judgment of God. How that God gives heirs to the family cursed with poverty and makes affluent family as a heirless?
The renovation work of the temple continues for years. Doctor couple is busy in profession saving the lives of the people on one side and ceaselessly taking care of growing son Palak who joins his fifth standard on other side. The renovation work of the temple ends. Doctor couple organizes a grand function in the temple. There comes the crowd of the people to attend the function. All enjoy meal arranged by the doctor couple and the trustees of the temple. Doctor couple and their son Palak take meal and come back home at the time of evening. That day, they don’t prepare dinner and go to bed. The next day morning Palak does not get up at his usual time. The anxious Dr. Janaki tries to wake him up but Palak does not respond. He has become completely energy-less and unable to lift himself. Dr. Janaki gets shocked by this sudden physical change occurred in her son overnight. Dr. Raghunathan comes in the chamber of Palak examines his body and gives him primary aids.
Dr. Raghunathan wants Palak to get shifted in his hospital but Palak refuses to do it. The condition of Palak becomes worse day by day. He stops taking food rarely giving positive response to fruits juice. Doctor couple suffers a lot of trauma due to this unexpected miserable plight of their loving son. Dr. Raghunathan uses all his medical expertise to cure this hidden and un-curable disease. He calls his colleagues who are well known doctors to make diagnosis of Palak’s ailment but their medicines too do no magic. With the degrading condition of Palak, grows the concern of the family too. They leave no stone unturned to provide all possible treatment to Palak so that he would recover his illness and once again join their active life smiling and pleasing all with his mesmerizing look.
Dr. Raghunathan calls his overseas doctor friends to cure his son. They too come but their hands fail to bring about the desired improvement in the degrading health of Palak. Palak almost feels paralyzed lying on his bed like a corpse staring lifelessly at the things around. All the beautiful things stop appealing him now. The thing of beauty has become grief forever. The part of his body below the neck has become movement less. Only the beating of the heart is observed. The face has become pale and a little life his left in the eyes with which he enjoys the things around. When the visitors come to see him, they stand still and wait that Palak would give them smile but they return disappointedly. Doctor couple feels half dead over the ceaselessly degrading condition of their son. For the first time, they feel themselves utterly failed and helpless and blame themselves for not curing their son.
Once, the old mother of Dr. Janaki Raghunathan visits Palak and suggests them to perform pooja at the temple of Goddess and beg for the life of Palak. As a last chance, the couple performs pooja with the hope that the blessing of the goddess would revive almost dead Palak. But this time, the blessing of the goddess too shows no magic. The hopeless doctor couple does nothing but helplessly watching and shading tears on the slowly dying life of Palak. Once, a distant relative of doctor’s family comes to enquire of Palak’s health. Before leaving the chamber, he puts a beautiful rose in an empty glass on the table. The rose is beautiful and enchanting that Palak too takes deliberate note of the presence of it. It seems to him that the flower has come here as an agent of god and would make him happy in his last days. Now, Palak stops staring at other artifacts surrounding him as they seem to be dull and unpleasant and devotes his staring in the service of the beautiful rose. Palak looks at it as if the standing rose in the glass is communicating with him and telling him the truths and mysteries of human life.
The passing time gradually steals the beauty of the rose and turns it into an ugly object. He looks dry and lifeless. It hurts little Palak and makes him feel more dead. The rose grows dryer and dryer making the base of the flower to let loose its hold on the petals. Palak is too much disturbed with it. He feels that the every drying petal of rose wants to tell him something. He grows very much eager in his staring and watches very keenly and minutely the movements taking place within the flower. Palak’s staring is confined to the dying rose only. The doctor couple has stopped going to the hospital. When they sit at the dining table to have food, the empty chair of Palak sinks them in despair. Number of times it happens that they leave eating food in the middle and return to the Palak’s chamber to spend time with their ever hungry Palak. They do nothing but continuously sitting beside Palak. They feel broken at hurt and feel almost collapsed as if they have become quite sure that their future support is gradually losing its root and may collapse at any moment.
Palak’s interest in the dying flower grows day by day. The base of the rose makes its grip looser and makes them free one by one. Palak is staring at the flower as if he has connected himself with the rose totally forgetting and ignoring the presence of the human beings around him. It is the time of dusk, the first petal of the rose falls but before falling it seems that the petal teaches him the lesson that life is mortal. Everyone has his day when he has to attend a divine call from heaven. It says to him the fools are those who are afraid of death. It seems to him that it is questioning to him why people forget that it is the death that ends all the miseries of human life. Death is as beautiful as life and if they believe it to be ugly then equally ugly is the life too. So, wisdom lies not in escaping from the death but accepting it. There is no sense in mourning over death. It is not the end but a fresh beginning with new body and new life. The reality expressed by the dropping petal contributes to the wisdom of Palak and makes him feel somewhat relaxed inwardly. With each passing day, there falls the petal of the rose. Once time beautiful rose looks ugly and resembles to the man having no limbs. The last petal of the rose is counting its last breath. Its time is yet to come. Day by day it bends down as if it is paying its last respect to his great lover. It is about to fall. Palak is fully engrossed in staring at the bending petal of the almost dead rose. It is at the last stroke of the mid night hour, the petal gets ready for its fall. Palak is about to shade tears for the departing petal, suddenly it seems to him the bending petal has deliberately bent forward to tell him one of the greatest thought of wisdom of human existence. He totally submits himself to the last petal. The falling petal looks at Palak and gives him the last but beautiful smile and empowers and encourages him with its last message of philosophy of human existence.
The petal says to Palak that birth and death is the greatest gift of God. Birth gives a unique chance to everyone to see this beautiful world and enjoy the every thing of beauty around him. Death gives him freedom from the miseries of the life. The petal further adds that behind the birth of every life, there is a purpose. God sends everyone on this earth with a destined purpose. Unless, that purpose is served, the divinity does not call him back. The petal says to Palak that he is especial child of the destiny and a great work is expected from him. The purpose of his life is yet to be served and till then death won’t dare to touch him. It ignites a hope to live in the heart of Palak. Suddenly, the last petal falls down muttering last word “Get up Palak! You are to live to do something great.”
The next morning, Palak gets up early in the morning and finds that his parents are sleeping down stairs. He comes out calmly; there is a beautiful garden in the front yard of the bungalow. Palak feels extremely delighted to see a beautiful rose bloomed in the garden. It seems to him that the departed flower has come back to see him and wish him a very happy new life. Palak smiles at the flower and kissing it; he moves towards another flower and gets engrossed in watching it.
Doctor couple gets shocked to see that Palak is not there on the bed. They start searching him here and there but they don’t find him in the house. Dr. Raghunathan comes out to take a look around the house and gets shocked and felt extremely pleased to see Palak engrossed in gazing at the periwinkle flower in the garden. Dr. Janaki Raghunathan too comes out hurriedly and gets surprised to see her loving son who was confined in the bed till yesterday is loitering in the garden. Doctor couple surprisingly looks at each other and questions how is it possible? Is it not a miracle? Whatever it may be good thing is that they have got their son back. It is a day of jubilation for the entire family.
The whole family celebrates this miracle by arranging a grand feast for their acquaintances and relatives. The house is overcrowded to congratulate the whole family over this extra-ordinary and miraculous achievement. The doctor couple feels in the seventh heaven with the miraculous recovery of Palak. That night, her son couple chats for long time and sleeps with a hope that they would be able to recover the secret behind their son’s sudden recovery.
Years pass, the doctor couple has grown sufficiently old now. They want that their son to be a doctor like them and should shoulder the responsibility of their huge hospital. But they soon realize that their son is not interested in their profession and his interest is in plants especially he is attracted towards flowers. After completing his twelfth with science with good marks, he expresses his desire to be a master in science and especially in botany. He says that he has a great attraction for plants and he would like to study flowers, if he gets a chance. Being a lonely son and loving, the doctor couple prefers to keep their own will aside and give their full preference to their son’s will. Palak completes his M.Sc. in Botany. One day, he expresses his desire to undertake a research activity in his subjects. The family agrees with his decision. He joins university as a research scholar, he does experiments with flowers. His curiosity is that he wants to know what is that ingredient or a chemical which keeps the petals intact and fresh all the time and why not after their being plucked. It is his will that petals should be as fresh and colorful as they were before they were plucked and wants that the beautiful flower should meet his end with all its petals intact and lively as they were. Through his years’ experimentations and hard work, he succeeds in discovering liquid, if it is injected in the base of the rose, the petals remain intact and fresh even after plucking. He does this experiment on the flowers in his garden. He takes an un-injected and injected rose plant. He plucks them and keeps them in his bed room. After some days, he finds that the petals of an un-injected rose have fallen down and the petals of the injected one remain intact and fresh as if it has just been plucked. He goes closer to the injected flower. It seems to him that the flower is a distant relative of that old one which gave him the hope to live, smiles at him and says that ‘Thank you for beautifying my death.”
Soon he starts injecting the vaccine in all the flowers plants and he finds the same result in all the flowers. Flowers are happy that they are saved from the sufferings of the old age and being ugly. The news of research success spreads like a wild fire and showering on him the praise and honors. The matter of pride is that the Nobel Prize for scientific discovery is declared to Palak’s research accomplishment.
One day curious father asks Palak about his interest in flowers. To this, Palak replies very emotionally and philosophically. He says that he is indebted to that rose flower which gave him a new hope and new life. He tells his father that the rose taught him the greatest lesson of life that life comes with a purpose. It made him realize the purpose of life ignited and empowered him to get up and begin a new life with a sole aim to serve the purpose of his life. He emotionally adds that what troubled him about the flower is the way the beautiful rose flower died. At first the beautiful rose flower turned ugly and slowly its delicate petals started falling down. There is no doubt that life is beautiful then why not the ‘Death’ and there would be nothing unjust, if the death becomes beautiful. When the petals of the flower were separating and falling down, it seemed to him that a human being is cut into smaller pieces. It is a death in fragments and looks ugly. Death should be beautiful, fresh and always complete one. Finally, he discloses the intention of his research interest that he wanted to beautify the ‘Death’ so that every flower would be happy to die.
It is out of his emotional attachment to that red inspiring flower to which he owes as he made him what he is today so he involved himself into the research work on the lives of the flowers.
Dr. Raghunathan gets overwhelmed by the philosophical discourse with his doctor son and gives a pat on his back and proud smile and disperses on his mission.