The Kabuliwala is short story novel written by famous Indian writer, Rabindranath Tagore. The novel was originally published in 1892. The story of novel revolve around a five year old little girl named Mini.
Synopsis of Kabuliwala By Rabindranath Tagore
Summary of The Kabuliwala in English By Rabindranath Tagore
The narrator of the story is a father who has one five year old daughter named Mini. Mini is a five year old little girl who is very talkative and can’t live without talking. Mini’s mother does not like Mini’s talkativeness but her father cannot see her mute.
He loves watching his daughter talking. One day, Mini comes in her father’s room when he was writing novel, she started asking lots questions to his father, so her father asks her to play quietly. When Mini was playing in room, she saw one Kabuliwala through room window so she starting saying O Kabuli wale ! O Kabuli wale !
The story now features new character, Rahamat, a Kabuli Wala, who is wearing loose clothes, turban and carrying a big bag in his back. When Kabuliwala turns and saw Mini, she get scared and goes in her room. She thought Kabuliwala has captured two – three children like her in his bagpack.
Kabuliwala goes in Mini’s home and sells few things to Mini’s father. The Kabuliwala was going but then he asks about a girl who was calling his name. Mini’s father bring out Mini from her room but she is scared of him, Kabuliwala offers few almonds to Mini but she hides behind her father. This was the first meeting of Mini and Kabuliwala.
One day, Mini’s father was going out from home, he saw Mini and Kabuliwala together talking. He saw lots of almond in small pocket of Mini. He asks Kabuliwala, why did you give Mini that much almond. Afterwards, Mini’s father give 50 paisa to Kabuliwala for his almonds and goes away. But Kabuliwala gives that money to Mini. When Mini goes home with 50 paisa in her hand, her mother asks who did give you that money ?
When Mini told her mother that Kabuliwala give her the money, she gets very angry on her. When Mini’s father returned home, he saw Mini’s mother shouting on Mini, so he save her from her mother and takes her into another room. Since that day, Mini’s father saw that Mini and Kabuliwala are meeting often. Mini isn’t afraid of Kabuliwala now and they used sit and talk with each other. Mini asks Kabuliwala what is it in his bag ?
The Kabuliwala replies there is one elephant in his bag. Thereafter, Kabuliwala asks her, when she will go in her father in law’s house. Mini does not know anything about it because her parents does not told her that one day, she will go in her father in law’s house.
But Mini is not that type of person to stay quiet, so she asks Kabuliwala, will you go to your father in law’s house. According to Kabuliwala, going in father in law’s house means going in Jail. So he replies when I will meet my father in law then I will beat them. On that reply, Mini started laughing.
The Autumn season has started, Mini’s father thought they never go out for travelling, they always live in Calcutta. So he started thinking about the places where he wants to go, sometimes he used to asks Rahamat about Afghanistan like what it look like.
Mini and her father are becoming friend to Kabuliwala day after day. On the other side, Mini’s mother is worrying about Mini as she is that kind of woman who fears a lot. Whenever Mini’s mother saw someone outside of their home, she thought only one thing the they must be a thief or kidnapper.
Mini’s mother tells Mini’s father to have eyes on Kabuliwala as she think that he may kidnap their Mini. So Mini’s father replies don’t worry as these thing will not happen. As usual, Kabuliwala used to meet Mini very often. The Kabuliwala used to go his home once in a year. He has lots of customer who borrowed things from him. Before going home, he used to go on those people’s house who have borrowed things from him.
The Kabuliwala still manages his time to meet Mini at evening. One day, Mini’s father was working in his study room in morning time then heard a sound from outside his house, he saw that Kabuliwala’s clothes are covered in blood. And his hands are lock in handcuffs. Thereafter, Mini’s father goes out and asks Kabuliwala, what happened ?
The Kabuliwala replies that I came here to take my borrowed money from my customer but that customer denied to give it back by saying he haven’t purchased anything from him. He started fighting with me so in anger I put a knife through his stomach.
At the same time, Mini comes outside of house, when she saw that Kabuliwala doesn’t have his bag and two people are taking him, so she asks him whether he is going in his father in law’s house today. The Kabuliwala replies while smiling that yes he is going there only, little one.
The Kabuliwala goes in jail and people started forgetting him slowly – slowly. As Mini is growing older, she got few new friends and now she used to spend her whole time with her new friends. Now, she don’t even goes in his father’s study room to disturb him.
Many years passed, now it is day when Mini’s father and mother are preparing for Mini’s marriage. Their house is full of guest and Mini’s father was doing something important in his study room, then suddenly Kabuliwala comes in and started talking with him very calmly.
At first, Mini’s father does not able to recognize him, but through his way of walk , Mini’s father learn that he is Kabuliwala. He wants to meet Mini but Mini’s father asks him to come on other day as he is bit occupied now. But Kabuliwala asks him to meet Mini just for one time.
On that, Mini’s father replies that she can’t meet him as of now. Kabuliwala get sad and was going but he came back and gives grapes and almonds to Mini’s father which he bought for Mini.
Mini’s father give him money for grapes and almonds but Kabuliwala denied to take that money as he was not came here for business. The Kabuliwala came to meet Mini because just like her he has one daughter who is waiting for him in home.
Whenever I came to meet Mini, I used to feel that I’m talking to my daughter only. He takes out one photograph from his pocket which is very old and has handprint of small hand. That hand print is a hand of Kabuliwala’s daughter whose name is Parvati.
After watching all this, Mini’s father get very emotional, he sees Rahamat as a father like him, he called Mini’s in his room. When Mini came in front of Kabuliwala, she was dressed in her marriage Saree, Kabuliwala got shocked to see Mini like that, then he learns that Mini is very grown now.
The Kabuliwala asks Mini, little one are you going in your father in law’s house. As Mini is grown woman now, she knows the meaning of father in law’s house, she blushes and does not reply to Kabuliwala because she forgot who he is.
Thereafter, Kabuliwala goes out and thinks that so far his own daughter have grown to whom he haven’t seen for 8 year as he was in jail. At the moment, Mini’s father give few money to Kabuliwala and asks him to used that money to meet his family.
The money which Mini’s father gave to Kabuliwala, he saved it for the marriage of Mini. But due to money shortage, Mini’s father was not able to do those things which he thought he will do. Mini’s father is quite happy though, because of him one father is going to meet his daughter after many – many years. Mini’s father is happy for Mini’s marriage but he is more happy for Kabuliwala who is gonna meet his dauther after a long years.