‘Kabuliwallah ’
Dr.
Nilesh Bhateshwar Malichakar
Asst.Professor, (Dept. of English)
TSS’ Smt. Vimalbai Patil Arts & Late
Dr.B.S. Desale Science College, Sakri. Dist Dhule
Abstract:
Rabindranath Tagore is well known
Indian English writer. He has tried his hands in variety of forms of literature
such as poetry, novel, short stories, essays and dramas. He was versatile
personality. The short story Kabuliwallah presents the character of
Mini. She is a curious girl of five and develops the strong bond of
relationship with a stranger Kabuliwallah. Love of Mini, and the narrator
support Kabuliwallah and help him to survive. He gets the spiritual love from
both of them.
Keywords: love, human y, survival,
unconditional love, care, emotions
Introduction:
Rabindranath Tagore is well known
Indian English writer. He has tried his hands in variety of forms of literature
such as poetry, novel, short stories, essays and dramas. He was versatile
personality. His writing is full of emotions and sensitivity. His short stories
are well acclaimed across the world. Rabindranath Tagore attempted more than
ninety short stories. His short stories are known for human values, simplicity,
emotional depth and realism. The
presentation of need for love is the striking feature of his short
stories.
The
researcher has selected the Kabuliwallahby Rabindranath Tagore for
present research paper. Kabuliwallah (Abdul Rahmun) is a dry fruits pedlar from
Kabul. He is a poor but honest man. He strongly faces difficulties and
challenges of life with a positive approach.. The story moves around the character
of Kabuliwallah and Mini. Mini is a curious girl of five and develops the
strong bond of relationship with a stranger Kabuliwallah. Mini’s father is a
writer who has shared an experience of Mini’s childhood with Kabuliwallah. The
short story portrays importance of human relationship and importance of love
beyond age, country and religion. The story conveys a strong message that love
is essential for human survival. Love transcends all the boundaries and
barriers. Rabindranth Tagore’s
characters show love is ultimate truth and that can helps us for survival. Mini
and Kabuliwallah are representatives of universal love which is essential for
the existence of the man and the world.
Analysis:
Kabuliwallah
is presented as sensitive and emotional character. He is a pedlar from Kabul
and visits each year for selling dry fruits. Kabuliwallah accidently maintain
strong relationship with Mini. When the story begins Mini’s father is writing
seventieth chapter of the novel and suddenly Mini enters and disturbs her
father. She relates her father with the discussion with doorkeeper Ramdayal and
Bhola. Mini’s father gets angry and sends her outside. The inquisitive nature
of Mini creates problem for the narrator to complete his novel. Mini sees Kabuliwallah from the window of her
house. Initially she has certain misunderstanding about him. She hides behind
her father after calling Kabuliwallah. She believes that there are children in
his bag which are kidnapped by him. The
children are innocent and they have very fantastic ideas and misconceptions in
their minds. “She had a blind belief that inside the bag, which the big man carried,
there were perhaps two or three other children like herself” (Tagore Kabuliwallah,
26). Kabuliwallah’s daily visits to the
narrator’s home makes both Mini and Kabuliwallah good friends. They used to
talk, play and laugh together. Sometimes Kabuliwallah gives Mini dry fruits or
money also freely. The narrator also enjoys the friendship of Kabuliwallah and
Mini but mother of Mini is suspicious about the relationship between Mini and
Kabuliwallah. She thinks that people like Kabuliwallah are kidnapping or
selling the children. They are very dangerous and critical. She says to her
husband,” Were children never kidnapped? Was it, then, not true that there was
slavery in Kabul? Was it so very absurd that this big man should be able carry
off a tiny child?” (Tagore Kabuliwallah, 29). It is a caring love of
mother for her daughter. No doubt, her approach is right towards the behaviour
of Kabuliwallah.
One
day in the middle of January Mini watches the Kabuliwallah who is arrested by
the police. The narrator is shocked to see Kabuliwallah, is arrested and in
handcuffs. When he enquires about his condition then he gets the detail of his
crime. He comes to know that Kabuliwallah has murdered a man due to his refusal
to return money. The tender hearted and
innocent girl, Mini asks that Kabuliwallah is going to his in- laws- house
(sasural). She curiously asks him, “Are you going to your father -in- law’s house.”
(Tagore Kabuliwallah, 31). It is deep kindness and love for
Kabuliwallah.
Kabuliwallah
is sentenced in imprison for few years and after that he returns. After
returning from the jail he immediately goes to the house of Mini. He enquires
about Mini to the narrator. The narrator is reluctant to call Mini but the
condition of Kabuliwallah encourages him to call Mini. Mini doesn’t recognize
Kabuliwallah when she meets him. He thinks that Mini is still a small talkative
girl to whom the used to talk before going to jail. When he meets Mini he is
shocked to see that Mini is now a young girl. Mini is in a wedding gown. It is
unbelievable for him to see her in the wedding gown, sandal paste on her
forehead, and adorned as young bride. She cannot revive their old friendship.
“The Kabuliwallah looked a little staggered at the apparition. He could not revive their old friendship. ”
(Tagore Kabuliwallah, 32) Mini’s wedding costume reminds him, his own
daughter. Now, he starts to think that his daughter would have also grown up
like Mini. He becomes serious and imagines the wedding day of his daughter. The
narrator understands the condition of Kabuliwallah and offers him some money
for going to Kabul and meets his own daughter. The narrator is so broadminded
and emotional who curtails some expenses on the wedding functions and come
forward to help Kabuliwallah. He thinks himself on the place of Kabuliwallah. A
father can understand in better way to other father is seen through the gesture
of the narrator. The narrator believes, “But to me the wedding feast was all
the brighter for the thought that in distant land a long lost father met again
with his only child.” (Tagore Kabuliwallah, 32).
Love is essential for human
survival:
It
is believed in all the religions that love is the ultimate truths that can be
serve as a tonic for the human survival.
Kabuliwallah’s (Abdul Rahmun) complete survival depends upon the love
and affection he receives from Mini. Even Mini’s company takes him away from
the worries of life. He forgets even his financial crisis. Mini’s company makes
him happy and strong. The narrator says, “They had many quaint jokes, which
afforded them much amusement.” (Tagore Kabuliwallah, 26). Even though
Kabuliwallah is a poor man but he is very broad by nature who gives raisins and
money to Mini. It shows that love for the stranger girl Mini makes him to take
this action. The narrator, Mini’s father
is a liberal man who doesn’t have any objection for the friendship of Mini and
Kabuliwallah. Even he tries to convince his wife that Kabuliwallah is not
criminal type of man. The narrator believes in the fact that friendship between
Mini and Kabuliwallah is based on the pure and unconditional love just like
father and daughter. He has firm belief that there is existence of love which
is needed for the survival of man.
The doubt of Mini’s mother can also
be not denied because whatever she feels it is out of her care and worry for
Mini. It is a motherly love of Mini’s mother that prevents her to easily trust
on Kabuliwallah. Mother’s love is genuine and ultimate for her children and
that essential for the survival of her children and mother as well. She scolds
Mini because Mini has taken raisins and money given freely by Kabuliwallah.
Mini is an innocent and sweet girl.
Her love for Kabuliwallah is pure and unconditional. Min’s friendship with
Kabuliwallah is the source of joy and love for Kabuliwallah. When Mini shouts
Kabuliwallah as “O Kabuliwallah, Kabuliwallah, he becomes very happy and thinks
that some near and dear one is calling him. Mini’s love for Kabuliwallah is
just like a daughterly love for father which gives him strength and live long
away from his distant land. It is Mini who fills in the absence of
Kabuliwallah’s daughter in India. Mini’s
innocent questions, innocent behavior, emotional attachment with him, is kind
of love bestowed on Kabuliwallah and that helps him to survive in difficult
situation and poverty laden life.
Kabuliwallah is in search of pure
love. He loves his daughter but she is long away from him. His daughter Pārbati
is always in his mind and that makes him to carry a paper having impression of
her hand. The narrator thinks, “He also was a father. That impression of the
hand of his little Pārbati in her distant mountain home reminded me of my
little Mini.” (Tagore Kabuliwallah, 32). Father is always father whether
he is rich or poor. The narrator
realizes the feelings of Kabuliwallah when he sees Kabuliwallah’s hand
impression on the paper. Mini compensates Kabuliwallah’s feelings of love for
his daughter. Whenever he is in the company of Mini, he believes that he is
with his daughter Pārbati.
Love of Mini, and the narrator
support Kabuliwallah and help him to survive. He gets the spiritual love from
both of them. The love without the feelings of any return is true love and that
is reflected in the story Kabuliwallah. As Nicholas Sparks states, “The best
love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, yet asks
for nothing in return.”
Conclusion:
The character of the Kabuliwallah is
in search of love. The story presents Kabuliwallah’s need for love is fulfilled
by Mini. Love is basic need for the survival of human being. Rabindranth
Tagore’s characters show love is ultimate truth and that can helps us for
survival. Mini and Kabuliwallah are representatives of universal love which is
essential for the existence of the man and the world.
Work Cited:
1.
Board
of Studies, Humanities Jalgaon: Academic Book Publications, 2019.Print.
2.
Kangane,
MRV: NON Fictional Ideological Values;
The Old Man and His God.
