Four Levels of Cabuliwala

Leteral Comprehension:

Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘The Cabuliwallah’ presents a touching narrative enlightening a deep companionship between Mini, a five-year-old Bengali girl, and Rahman, the Cabuliwallah from Afghanistan. Walking along the street the Cabuliwallah was suddenly called by Mini, the narrator’s five-year-old daughter. As she had false fear of him, she ran away after calling and hid herself in her mother’s warm lap. Thinking that Mini should get rid of that false fear, the narrator thought of introducing Mini to the Cabuliwallah. It was their first meet and ever since they started to convene regularly. Rahman would come to see her with almonds and raisins. Her stuffed pockets with almonds and raisins would delight Mini a lot. They would enjoy talks and jokes for hours. But unfortunately one day, Rahman was arrested on charge of a murderous attack and was imprisoned for years. Surprisingly after many years, he appeared there on the day of Mini’s marriage with some offerings. After the writer realized that the man missed his daughter Parvati and came to Mini to console himself, he called for Mini. They met but differently because Mini was no more a small child. Seeing Mini in her marriageable age, Rahman felt that his daughter had to have been of similar age. He felt bad that he had been far from her for so long. The writer could feel that Rahman was missing Parvati badly, so he gave a hundred rupee note to Rahman for going to Afghanistan and meet his love. He did so by curtailing the wedding expenses. The writer felt very happy that a long lost father in a distant land was going to meet again his only child and perhaps stay with her forever.

Interpretation:

Tagore is probably making sense that friendship does not recognize any gap, border and difference. There was, of course, lots of gap between Mini and Rahman. Mini was a five-year-old much loved daughter of a prestigious man. Rahman was a neglected old peddler from the mountain of Afghanistan. There was a huge age gap. They had a wide cultural difference as well. Mini’s mother doubted such peddler so much that she always feared her daughter might be kidnapped by such people. The mother thought the meaning of almonds might be temptation, but hidden fact was that Rahman was there to forget the deep sense of missing his daughter Parvati by meeting Mini. To bridge the huge cultural gap between Rahman and Mini, there was love, care and attachment. That is why, perhaps, the writer is attempting to make the point that if there is anything strong enough to fill the vast gap between different cultures, it is nothing but love, care and attachment.

Critical Analysis:

 I am quite satisfied with each and every issue raised by Tagore in this story. I am also highly attracted to his way of storytelling. But while going through the story, one issue time and again dissatisfied me. It is Tagore’s biased view towards women. He has portrayed himself to be highly understanding, cooperative, and sociable. But in his portrayal of his wife, he has not been able to be fair. He has made her be negative towards the peddler. As a writer, he could make himself suspicious to Cabuliwallah. But being guided by patriarchal values, he thought that only a female suited such role and did the same. Leaving this case behind, the story is mesmerizing and useful, too. Another issue which strikes my mind is that the punishment given to Rahman. Was it fair? Did the man who he stabbed and hurt not have any blame to be shared? Was he given a just punishment? I feel no.

Assimilation:

This story reminds me of an old man who used to love me so much during my childhood days. He was from Rai community while I belonged to Brahmin community. He had a hotel to serve tea, biscuits, vegetables, and so on to people. But he never sold anything to me. Every time I would visit his hotel, he would instantly take me into his hold and kiss me. I still remember the way his white beard would trouble the soft skin of my cheek. But I too enjoyed it because I knew he loved me. Even the harsh smell of wine did not make me be far from him forever. After taking me into his hold for some time, he would give me whatever I chose to eat. If he did not see me there for some two or three days, he would even come my home to know if I were not keeping well. But I am very sad to state that that old man of mine lives no longer. Alas! He died some five years back.