Importance of Kumar

Kumar shows the progression of one’s opinions over the course of many months. When Doctor Kumar and Lakshmi meet to help save Joyce’s life, he is skeptical of herbal remedies. He even accuses her of essentially poisoning Joyce, and is genuinely surprised when a herbal remedy helps the woman’s fever. And as the novel progresses, Kumar comes to both understand why people use these remedies and accept their usefulness. This is why he invites Lakshmi to Shimla; he finally trusts what she is doing and believes that it is best for his patients. He allowed his understanding of the world to change for the better.