Hiya All
Here I am bloggin my thoughts, ideas, journals and ofcourse my inevitable ramblings. Greatly appreciate you'll stopping by and add comments if you will. See ya!
Here I am bloggin my thoughts, ideas, journals and ofcourse my inevitable ramblings. Greatly appreciate you'll stopping by and add comments if you will. See ya!
Do not pluck the flowers
Posted 2nd September 2008 at 08:00 PM by Anandchitra
Srinivasan was a very high profile Government employee. He had been given palatial quarters that were located in a posh suburb of the capital city. His wife Mythili had died of breast cancer leaving behind their only daughter Malini with him.
Malini grew up to be a beautiful and lovely young girl and she was top in her class in studies. She had just started post graduation studies and was an avid student of music and dance. Her time was completely occupied with studies and learning music and dance. Her only other delight was in their garden.
Their outdoor garden was a true focal point of the entire neighborhood. They had a huge number of flowering plants and trees and the flowers were a beautiful sight for sore eyes.
Srinivasan was so possessive of his garden that he refused any one to pluck flowers. He went to the point of being mean and nasty when someone tried to steal flowers or even request for a few. There were many people from the nearby slums who came to work on the palatial houses near Srinivasan’s house. They had a variety of hibiscus flowers and the colors were so attractive. There were roses too of all colors and the blooms were huge and delight to view.
The poor people who wanted the flowers could easily earn their daily wages if they sold the flowers they got from Srinivasan’s house. However that seemed easier said than done. Srinivasan would rather have all the flowers fall to the ground and die rather than giving them to some needy people.
This was not the case always. He was a different person when his wife Mythili had been alive. The sadness of losing her and the need to cope with his loss had led him to react in this rude manner.
When Mythili was alive, she used to take care of the gardens. The whole garden had been Mythili’s conception and her constant work had made the garden into a very beautiful place. She had even installed a swing in one corner of the garden where they both could sit and spend some time together.
It was the pride of place for Srinivasan to show off his wife’s hard work and would boast no end to all his friends. Infact a tour of the gardens was a must to all visitors to their home.
Everything took a drastic turn when Mythili passed away. Srinivasan had a full time gardener to take care of the gardens. Srinivasan’s pride and his eagerness to show off the gardens had taken a back seat. Now he would rather have his garden remain hidden if he could help it.
This change of attitude worried Malini. She loved the garden as much as her father but reacted differently than him. She loved to spend time in the garden, walking around the flower beds, sitting on her mother’s swing, smelling the flowers, doing light work and talking to the gardener.
Malini could not bear to see the flowers her mother had brought up with so much care go to the ground. She started to cut the flowers and distribute it to the poor people without her father’s knowledge. This proved to be a very time consuming and stressful work at the same time. Being a student she had to find a way to cut flowers behind her father’s back and tell him a lie that she took them to the temple. Then again she had to distribute the flowers without her father’s knowledge.
As luck would have it, Malini fell ill. What she thought was a mild fever was diagnosed as breast cancer in an advanced stage, the same illness that had taken her mother away from her.
Srinivasan totally crumbled on hearing this diagnosis and became even more devastated on seeing his beautiful daughter wilt away like a withering flower.
The disease spread even before they could start treatment and soon Srinivasan was left alone and felt lonely too.
During the last days of her life, Malini had shared with him the lie she had hid about the flowers. Listening to her, Srinivasan felt ashamed of himself. Beside the magnitude of her disease this seemed such a small matter. Still he had to appreciate the work of his daughter and her magnanimous heart.
Now that he was left alone, he went to the garden every chance he got. He took upon himself to pluck every flower that bloomed and organized a way to distribute all the flowers to the poor and others who needed it.
His wife and daughter must have known that their time might be up before him and had created a solace for his troubled mind.
The flowers and the garden finally became his refuge to deal with his sorrow and in giving he found a peace that was there to stay.
Malini grew up to be a beautiful and lovely young girl and she was top in her class in studies. She had just started post graduation studies and was an avid student of music and dance. Her time was completely occupied with studies and learning music and dance. Her only other delight was in their garden.
Their outdoor garden was a true focal point of the entire neighborhood. They had a huge number of flowering plants and trees and the flowers were a beautiful sight for sore eyes.
Srinivasan was so possessive of his garden that he refused any one to pluck flowers. He went to the point of being mean and nasty when someone tried to steal flowers or even request for a few. There were many people from the nearby slums who came to work on the palatial houses near Srinivasan’s house. They had a variety of hibiscus flowers and the colors were so attractive. There were roses too of all colors and the blooms were huge and delight to view.
The poor people who wanted the flowers could easily earn their daily wages if they sold the flowers they got from Srinivasan’s house. However that seemed easier said than done. Srinivasan would rather have all the flowers fall to the ground and die rather than giving them to some needy people.
This was not the case always. He was a different person when his wife Mythili had been alive. The sadness of losing her and the need to cope with his loss had led him to react in this rude manner.
When Mythili was alive, she used to take care of the gardens. The whole garden had been Mythili’s conception and her constant work had made the garden into a very beautiful place. She had even installed a swing in one corner of the garden where they both could sit and spend some time together.
It was the pride of place for Srinivasan to show off his wife’s hard work and would boast no end to all his friends. Infact a tour of the gardens was a must to all visitors to their home.
Everything took a drastic turn when Mythili passed away. Srinivasan had a full time gardener to take care of the gardens. Srinivasan’s pride and his eagerness to show off the gardens had taken a back seat. Now he would rather have his garden remain hidden if he could help it.
This change of attitude worried Malini. She loved the garden as much as her father but reacted differently than him. She loved to spend time in the garden, walking around the flower beds, sitting on her mother’s swing, smelling the flowers, doing light work and talking to the gardener.
Malini could not bear to see the flowers her mother had brought up with so much care go to the ground. She started to cut the flowers and distribute it to the poor people without her father’s knowledge. This proved to be a very time consuming and stressful work at the same time. Being a student she had to find a way to cut flowers behind her father’s back and tell him a lie that she took them to the temple. Then again she had to distribute the flowers without her father’s knowledge.
As luck would have it, Malini fell ill. What she thought was a mild fever was diagnosed as breast cancer in an advanced stage, the same illness that had taken her mother away from her.
Srinivasan totally crumbled on hearing this diagnosis and became even more devastated on seeing his beautiful daughter wilt away like a withering flower.
The disease spread even before they could start treatment and soon Srinivasan was left alone and felt lonely too.
During the last days of her life, Malini had shared with him the lie she had hid about the flowers. Listening to her, Srinivasan felt ashamed of himself. Beside the magnitude of her disease this seemed such a small matter. Still he had to appreciate the work of his daughter and her magnanimous heart.
Now that he was left alone, he went to the garden every chance he got. He took upon himself to pluck every flower that bloomed and organized a way to distribute all the flowers to the poor and others who needed it.
His wife and daughter must have known that their time might be up before him and had created a solace for his troubled mind.
The flowers and the garden finally became his refuge to deal with his sorrow and in giving he found a peace that was there to stay.
Total Comments 22
Comments
 |  Profoundly moving !Dear AC, A poignant story that has the fragrance of flowers throughout. Srinivasan had transferred the love he had for his wife to the flowers. Maybe he felt like reliving the pain when the flowers were given away. But when his daughter made him understand that he is really spreading love and helping others, he realises his folly and finds peace in sharing it with others. Lovely story with 'flowery' language ! Some quotes that I felt might be relevant to your story & message- We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. Giving frees us from the familiar territory of our own needs by opening our mind to the unexplained worlds occupied by the needs of others. Keep posting more such wonderful pieces ! Regards Krithika |
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| |  I have seen it quite common not to let anyone else pluck flowers from our garden.. Krithi. So wanted to write ... your quotes have added more fragrance to my words.. |
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| |  Dear AC This story is so beautiful and sad too. It is like finding a way to live, with so much of sorrow in Srinivasan. your story is full of fragrance. |
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| | People need to find a way to cope with happiness as well as sorrow.. glad you liked it:) |
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| |  Dear AC Nice way to highlight the importance of Giving in one's life even if it mattered the most to them. Now that makes me ask myself will I allow people to pluck something from my garden?!  Cheers Jenz |
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| | You have brought out a very pertinent question.. will I give my flowers or allow anyone to pluck them? dearest Jenz.. The answer is YES.. though i have travelled from a reluctant somewhat yes to a big yes.. my hubby on the other hand has always been a YES.. It is in the giving the true happiness an blessing. |
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| |  Dear AC Good one again !!! Well carved character "Srinivasan". Giving will always gives pleasure, isn't ?? Loved the feedback of Krithika and the reply of yours to Jenz. Good fragnance coming in Indus Ladies !! With regards with love, Gowri |
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| | For some reason its difficult to give rather than to get. The true happiness is in the giving.. thanks Gowri. |
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| |  Dearest AC, A very beautiful strong story. Though I felt sad reading the same. To lead a life after one's loved ones die is v v difficult but some how Srinivasan found a way to come out of the grief. Thanks AC for this wonderful piece. |
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| |  ACdear, The day everybody knows that giving,sharing is a pleasure and gives you back in bounties, life becomes more beautiful isn't it. good story dear. |
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| | It is difficult to live after one's spouse dies.. especially if one is close to the spouse lalitha. It is the reality and inevitable too. Still how does one continue... Glad you liked it! |
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| | I did not like it when someone would pluck flowers from my rose bushes.. I felt the beauty of the bush was spoilt.. or it was more beautiful in the bush.. Shanthi today thank god I dont think the same anymore.. On the other hand I admire my husband who loves to take all the flowers from the bushes when we go to the temple and he would distribute to all.. I have no doubt that God took the trouble to send my teacher to me.. dont you agree? |
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| |  AC dear....it was a touching story... I too used to avoid and discourage plucking flowers from the plants, saying that , it will remain fresh and bloom in the plant for atleast a couple of days..but when plucked,, it will dry the same day....But yes, I guess there are the other ways of looking at things too... |
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| |  AC, A very nice one, which shows there is happiness in sharing which in turn gives solace.. sriniketan |
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| |  very poignantMy dear Anandchitra, That was a very poignant and moving story.Srinivasan's daughter was a priceless gem,why should God take her away.I could not bear to read that passage. Finally he finds solace in tending to the garden and giving away the flowers,a beautiful message from a great story teller. Lved it and also moved by it. love mithila kannan |
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| | Saras I was like you too.. am glad I have changed even though just a little.. |
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| | I also think the same like you say in sharing and then in giving there is solace.Big B:) |
| Updated 7th September 2008 at 06:23 PM by Anandchitra |
| | I never thought the impact and how sad it will be if the young girl had to die Mithila.. maybe I should have chosen another option. This was a drastic line to choose.Mainly because it had to be drastic in order to bring about the change in heart for the lead character. Next time will choose a different line. |
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| | My dear Anandchitra,Dear anantchtra, You have to write what comes to your mind and should convey the message in your own way.Jane Eyre was tragic,but don't we savour the classic,can we ever forget the novel.Mill on the Floss is my favourite novel,but I can't read it through with out becoming emotional.Sivagamiyin Sabhadam made me get angry with Kalki for the love that was sacrificed,till now I have not got over it.That is the writer's victory.So,don't think even for a second that Iam sitting in judgement.If you made me cry,it was your victory as a writer and Iam very proud of you.Please do write whatever you want to write,we are all waiting to read those gems. love mithila kannan |
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| | Do not pluck the flowersDear AC, congrats on penning a good story! I enjoyed the story. It's a very poignant story which embodies a strong moral. The theme of service and engaging in good deeds for the benefit and happiness of others is a very rewarding experience. This joy comes only when we offer something selflessly without anticipating any returns. Regards, SD |
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Recent Blog Entries by Anandchitra
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- Come Catch me Fat Ghost (19th November 2008)
- Dare to Dream (12th November 2008)
- Shove from Nest (10th November 2008)
