The Cabuliwallah

Rabindranath Tagore


Summary:


Mini, a five years old daughter of the writer, could not stay without doing something. She hadn’t washed out a minute in silence. Such activities made her mother angry but father took it as the nature of child. Mini used to ask different questions to her father and sometimes it became hard to give an answer to the writer. Once Mini cried “A Cabuliwallah”. Then, the Cabuliwallah, who wore baggy and dirty clothing and carried a bag on his back and boxes of grapes in his hand. He turned his head and came to the writer’s house.  Mini went to her mother due to the fear. She had blind belief that inside the bag there were perhaps two or three children like her. Writer purchased some things from him. The seller offered nuts and raisins and also returned the amounts. Her fear was not existed more and Mini and the seller became great friend despite their age difference. They passed their time by laughing and saying many strange jokes. They sustained their friendship in this way. But the activities of Mini and the visitor disappointed Mini’s mother. So she implored to the writer be cautious of that man. One day, Rahaman was arrested by policemen. There were blood stains on his clothes and one of the policemen carried a knife. The writer knew that a certain neighbor had owned something for a Rampuri shawl but denied to pay money for it to the Cabuliwallah. So, in the course of quarrel Rahaman had struck him. Mini saw her friend and with her usual exclamation said “O Cabuliwallah were you going to your father in-law’s house. He laughed and said that was just where he was going. On a charge of murderous physical attack, he was sentenced to several years’ imprisonment. Time was passed. Mini was in her wedding day. All were busy in their work. The writer’s pain was intensified due to the approaching separation of Mini.  Rahaman came and saluted the writer. He was just released from jail. The writer thought that it was not a good time to let him stay there, so he said him to come the next day. Rahaman requested the writer to give the raisins and almonds to Mini that he brought with him. The writer took these and tried to pay for them but Cabuliwallah did not accept it. He said that he too had a daughter like Mini in Afghanistan. He came here by thinking of his daughter. So, he did not come to make profit for himself. He, then, brought out a small rough piece of paper from his pocket which contained merely an impression of ink-smeared little hand of his daughter. The eyes of the writer filled with tear. He forget that the seller was a poor and outsiders but felt that he was also a father like him. The writer provided him hundred rupees by cutting down the wedding expenses so that the seller could go and meet his daughter.





Literal Comprehension

 Rabindra Nath Tagore is Bengali write and novel prize winner of literature. In most of his texts, he evokes the life of Indian people. The narrator had a five-year-old daughter called Mini, who was very talkative. She would ask many immature questions to the storyteller.

 Once she saw a Cabuliwallah named Rahman walking in the street. He moved door to door selling some articles and dry fruits. He looked frightening to Mini because of his loose dress and a turban. Being frightened, she ran to her mother. She had a blind belief that the man carried some small children in his bag. The man went to the narrator’s house and he made small purchases. When he was about to go, he asked the narrator where Mini was. Thinking that she had to dig up her false fear, he called her out. The Cabuliwallah gave her some dry fruits.

 After that, every time he came to the narrator’s house, he would give her something as gifts. Gradually, they became close friends. They had many strange jokes and were greatly amused. Mini would ask the Cabuliwallah what he had in his bag and he would reply that there was an elephant. The Cabuliwallah would ask her when she was going to her father-in-law’s house, but she would not understand his question.

 One day, Rahman was detained by the police. There were blood-stains on his clothes and one of the policemen carried a knife. A man had to pay some money to Rahman for his shawl. When he was collecting his money, the man denied that he had to pay Rahman. They had a quarrel and the Cabuliwallah had struck him with a knife. At that time, Mini asked him if he was going to his father-in-law’s house and he replied in affirmative.

 Rahman was released from prison after several years’ imprisonment. He directly went to Mini’s house. It was the wedding day of Mini. He greeted the narrator, but the narrator told him to come the next day. He had brought some dry fruits for Mini. Perhaps he was thinking that Mini was still a small child. The narrator accepted the gift and tried to pay for that. But Rahman refused to take money saying that he also had a daughter like Mini. Then he showed the impression of his daughter’s hand on a small piece of paper. That touched the narrator and his eyes were full of tears. Realizing that he was also a father of a daughter, the narrator allowed him to meet Mini. Rahman was astonished to see her in her bridal dress. He asked her if she was going to her father-in-law’s house. Now she understood the question, but she did not answer, just blushed.  At last, the narrator gave Rahman a hundred rupees and asked him to go back to his own country to see his daughter.





Interpretation

Age makes not much difference in friendship.


We should have a broad outlook on life.


Peddlers should not be treated badly.


 The story ‘Cabuliwallah’ portrays a touching friendship between a poor, uneducated Afgan fruit-seller who is forced to make a living in exile, and an upper-class, sweet, Bengali girl. It is a story of compassion and of building fragile cross-cultural bridges. The romantic story conveys great humanitarian messages we are all brothers and sisters.

Or

The Cabuliwallah is one of the famous stories of Tagore. Here he may be trying to show that love rules the world. Love is essential in human life. The relationship between Rahman and Mini shows the deep-rooted love of parents to their children. He satisfies his thirst of love to his daughter by talking to Mini. This story also presents the ideas that there is no barrier of age in friendship. Further, the story presents the three different worlds – the world of innocence, adult and aged. The world of innocence is free from painful reality. The story shows the love of mankind and the value of humanity. Towards the end of the story, the narrator gives Rs. 100 to Cabuliwallah to go home so that he also can get his daughter married.





Critical Thinking

Is it realistic for the parents allowing their small children to play with a stranger?

Can a small child and an old man be good/close friends? Do we allow an ex-convict to see our daughter on her wedding day?





Assimilation:

 This story is very interesting in having a practical lesson. Before reading the story, I had thought that friendship only possible within own culture, class, and age. But after reading it, I have come to know that friendship is above age, class, race, and nationality. The case is similar between Mini and Rahaman. Further, I have learned that the friendship in childhood doesn’t last long. Besides, it has taught me the value of love and humanity.