Kabuliwala is a short story written by Rabindranath Tagore. It is a story which deals with Kabuliwala(Abdul Rehman Khan) and his customer Mini. Kabuliwala is basically a hawker who comes to Calcutta from Afganistan. He befriends a small bengali girl called Mini who use to remind him of his own daughter Amina back in Afghanistan.
Though he was not in touch with his daughter, her memories didnt fade away from his mind. Later things went wrong and one of Kabuliwala’s customer didnt return his money. When asked for returning, the customer starts abusing which makes Kabuliwala aggressive and he stabs the customer when he refuses to stop abusing. This brings prisonment to Kabuliwala for 10 years. On the day of his release he goes to see Mini, but discovers that Mini has grown up and was about to get married. Her parents were reluctant to let a murderer see their daughter.
However after many pleas Kabuliwallah was allowed. Kabuliwallah brought wrapped in a piece of paper, nuts almonds,raisins for her, thinking Mini was still a small child who use to resemble his daughter. The sight of Mini in a bridal wear kindled in him the memories of his daughter, who he never thought would grow up like Mini. He had tears in his eyes. Her dad identified Rehman, as a father and gave him a bank note, so that he could go back to his country and see his daughter whose finger prints he carried all the time.
This story is all about the beautiful realation between the daughter and the father. Though separated physically, the memories sustain our love for our child. Only we need a spark to light up those memories. Such was the case with Mini who woke up the affection in Kabuliwala, for his long forgotton daughter in a far away land, thus its like this.
A kabuliwala, a small trader in Kabul comes to Hindusthan to earn some money because his daughter is not keeping too well. He has taken some loan from his friend who is a Pathan. In Hindusthan he tries selling his wares on the streets. He befriends a little girl called Mini. Mini’s parents are a little apprehensive of their daughter’s friendship with the kabuliwala.But Mini becomes very fond of him and he dotes on her.She reminds him of the little daughter he has left behind in Kabul. He spoils her with dry fruits and nuts and the relationship strengthens.
When he is out if jail, he comes to meet Mini but Mini who is a grown up girl now is due to get married on the same day. This sight fills him with a deep nostalgia and he realises that it is probably time for his daughter also to get settled in life. He leaves the place with tears in his eyes and decides to return home.
My kinsman and myself were returning to Calcutta from our Puja trip when we met the man in a train. From his dress and bearing we took him at first for an up-country Mahomedan, but we were puzzled as we heard him talk. He discoursed upon all subjects so confidently that you might think the Disposer of All Things consulted him at all times in all that He did.
Hitherto we had been perfectly happy, as we did not know that secret and unheard-of forces were at work, that the Russians had advanced close to us, that the English had deep and secret policies, that confusion among the native chiefs had come to a head. But our newly-acquired friend said with a sly smile: “There happen more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are reported in your newspapers.
” As we had never stirred out of our homes before, the demeanour of the man struck us dumb with wonder. Be the topic ever so trivial, he would quote science, or comment on the Vedas, or repeat quatrains from some Persian poet; and as we had no pretence to a knowledge of science or the Vedas or Persian, our admiration for him went on increasing, and my kinsman, a theosophist, was firmly convinced that our fellow-passenger must have been supernaturally inspired by some strange magnetism” or “occult power,” by an “astral body” or something of that kind.
