The Cabuliwallah

The Cabuliwallah   Rabindranath Tagore, India (1861-1941)   BA English, TU

b. write the four level of meaning of the text "The Cabuliwallah".

Literal Comprehension:  This famous story was written by a famous noble prize winner, Rabindranath Tagore. Mini the daughter of writer was very talkative girl of five used to ask many questions to him. Once Mini saw a peddler walking round the street of his house. He was from Afghanistan, Kabul to sell goods in Calcutta. She called him as 'Cabuliwallah'. Then Cabuliwallah came into the house. Mini was afraid of seeing him because her mother taught her that they would carry children in their bags. The writer introduced Mini with Cabuliwallah. After that they started to meet, talk joke and became friends each other. Cabuliwallah used to tease her telling when she was going to her father-in-law's house. She couldn't understand the meaning so she would replay the same to him. Mini's mother was ever negative toward Cabuliwallah's attitude. One morning Mini saw Cabuliwallah arrested by two policemen in the street. She asked him if he was going to his father-in-law's house. After that Mini  forgot about Cabuliwallah who was in jail. Rahman, Cabuliwallah was released from the jail after eight years. Then he wanted to meet his old friend Mini when he came to Mini's house it was decorated and musical because Mini's marriage was going on. Cabuliwallah had taken some fruits as gift to Mini. When he asked to meet Mini with Ragore But the rejected. Later seeing real love of Cabuliwallah who though mini like his own daughter Parrati. He let mini to meet him when Cabuliwallah saw mini in marriage dress  and grown up, he became much surprised. He then asked her if she was going to her father-in-law’s house. Mini  knew the meaning  of that statement and  bowed her bead. Cabuliwallah sat on the floor after Mini went inside. He remembered his  own daughter in cable waiting  her father to get  married. Tagore gave Rs. 100 note asking him to go to Kabul with his missed family.

Interpretation: Though this beautiful story the writer might be trying to tell us about  true friendship, between two strangers. All strangers are not  bad. For true friendship, there  should be touching and  understanding. Between two persons from different cultures countries and ages  there can be real relation like of Mini and CabuliwallaH. We shouldn’t hate others as ‘outsiders’, ‘foreigners’ or ‘others’. Again it might also  be trying to tell that almost all children are inquisitive, talkative and  restless like Mini. People have gone different  places missing a lot  to their families and  friends. So one shouldn’t look others negatively but behave like to brothers and sisters.

Critical Thinking: This story has  imparted a lesson to us it has given a true picture of a friendship between a small girl  and Cabuliwallah. What is the example of true love is clearly given here. Still, some disagreeable points can  be presented raising some questions. Do we all give an unknown foreigner to make friendship with our children? Can  we accept/welcome everyday meet of unknown foreigner to make friendship with  our  children? Can  we accept/welcome everyday meet of unknown person with children? How can there be a trustful relation between a five years child (girl) and aged  Cabuliwallah? The writer has given an idealistic picture. Such picture can’t be found every where in our society. It is not possible always either.

Assimilation: After  reading this story. I completely changed  my attitude  to door to door sellers. Before reading this  story I used to think such sellers as nonhuman and strange persons. I supposed that they were either  beggars or thieves. But now I have realized that the sellers  like Cabuliwallah are like our brothers or uncles. We should respect  them but heat them. Because of compulsion and difficult situations they have gone  in various parts of the world. Now I like to respect them and do good behavior to them. I will never as behave as  foreigners or others. Right from now I have changed my attitude towards them.

c. Write the story. “Cabuliwallah” from the point of view of the  Cabuliwallah.

I Cabuliwallah had come from Kabul to earn some money by selling some goods  house to houses in Calcutta. I had carried a big and boxes of grapes in my hand. One day  I was walking along the street of Master Tagore’s house. A little child called me “Cabuliwallah….” And I went into his house. At first her  with me she wasn’t afraid of me. I though her like my own  daughtersParbati in Cabul. After that I started to tease her when she  was going to her father –in-law’s house. She understood this mean going to jail. She also used to tell me same  that when I was going there.

One morning I was arrested because I had injured a man  in fight  with a knife. Mini came  and asked me if I was going  to my father-in-law’s house. I spent  few years in jail. When I released myself the jail, I went to meet my old friend Mini. In her house a program was  going on. I requested to master tagore to meet Mini, but he ignored at first. When I told the reality he let  Mini to meet me. She was grown up by them. I told her whether she was going to father-in-law’s house. Then she understood its meaning, master Tagore gave me a hundred rupees note asking me to go to my home Kabul to meet my family and daughter. I remembered my daughter parvati and my wife who were waiting for me in Kabul.

d. Write the story, “Cabuliwallah” from the point of view of Mini.

 I am Mini. I was five years old. I was living with my father Rabindranath Tagore. I used to be very talkative and would ask so many questions to my father. One day I saw him walking near my house. I called him Cabuliwallah. I saw him coming inside the house. I was afraid of him because my mother told me that such people would carry little children in their bags. He was wearing very loose clothes carrying a bag and grapes in his hands. He gave me some fruits when my father introduced me with him. We became friends each others after some meetings. Timely he used to ask me whether I was going to my father-in-law’s house. I thought he said about jail by that and I also asked him same question when he was going there.

One morning, I saw him walking along the street of my house with policeman. I didn’t know what wrong he had done. Without knowing anything I asked him whether he was going to his father-in-law’s house. He agreed he was going there in fun. After that I forgot to Cabuliwallah. I grew up and turned into my marriageable age. Once there was my wedding ceremony in my home, Rahman (Cabuliwallah) came to meet me. I came out when my father asked me to meet him. He became very surprised to see me in marriage dress. He asked me whether I was going to my father-in-law’s house by then also. I knew the meaning of father-in-law’s house so I bowed my head down when I knew that well then I knew my father had given him one hundred rupees note asking him to go back to his family where his daughter like me Parvati and his wife were waiting for him.