Gurudakshina

The theme of the play centres around four disciples and a Guru. On completion of their education under the Guru, the four disciples insist on the Guru accepting a Gurudakshina from them as a token of their profound love and admiration for the Guru. The Guru declines any present from them saying that it was against his principles to accept anything in return for the knowledge he shared with them. The disciples remain adamant. The Guru finally relents and agrees to accept any help from them, if it related to the restoration of eyesight of his blind daughter. The Guru blesses them and tells them that they would get a present each if they dig the site where feather might fall from their heads. He also wants them not to open the casket they might get thus. They should take the casket unopened to the Guru to which three of the disciples readily agree while the fourth one, Suseelan respectfully declines the magic feather and telling the Guru that he did not require anything except the blessing of his master.

The other three: Veeran, Vikraman and Sakthan taunt Suseelan. He has a monkey friend Anilan who also joins him in his search for the miracle flower.

The disciples in their search for the flower encounter various experiences in the forests. They dig a place where the magic feather fell. Violating the wish of the Guru (not to open the caskets they get while digging), Vikaraman, Veeran and Sakthan open their caskets and found Gold for Sakthan, Bronze for Vikraman and Silver for Veeran. The three friends quarrel over this accusing the others for interchanging the boxes scrumptiously with the intention of getting gold. Each one believes that others have fooled him.

In this mean time, the fourth disciple Suseelan and his monkey friend Anilan with the help of other monkeys in the forest reached the interior of the forest where the mystery flower which was being guarded by powerful nymphs who had been cursed to remain until a young man in noble character would come one day and touch them. This nymph who guard this flower prevent Suseelan and Anilan to go anywhere near the flower. Suseelan is very adamant and refuses to move away and a fight follows during which Suseelan touches the nymph one after another who come to life and these grateful nymphs help Suseelan in getting the flower. A triumphant Suseelan walks back to the Guru’s house with the flower. On the way the other three conspired and snatch the flower from him and after pushing Suseelan into a ditch and they rush to the Guru with the flower. The Guru was happy to see his disciples succeed in their attempts to get the mystery flower. But he was very unhappy when he told that Suseelan was unsuccessful and had been lost in the forest. The Guru was baffled to note that the girl did not regain her eyesight even after the flower was applied on her eyes. The Guru became suspicious and at this stage there appears Suseelan accompanied by a group of nymphs of the forests and the forest itself. The disappointed Suseelan admits his failure in his mission. The Guru tells him that he had not failed in his attempt since the flower is lying on the ground and Suseelan could very well take it in his hand and apply it on the eyes of Guru’s daughter. The Guru also tells him that he need not worry about the consequences. Suseelan did as his Guru commanded. Suddenly the girl gets back her vision. The frightened Veeran, Vikaraman and Sakthan try to flee from there but the forests carry them and take them away to the forest. The play ends here. The grandmother appeared in the scene and she explains the moral idea involved in the play