Summary of Rabindranath Tagore's The Man from Kabul

Introduction

Tagore is a famous Indian poet, dramatist and short story writer.  He has won Nobel Prize for literature, for his translation of Gitanjali from Bengali to English.  He has written the national anthems for India and Bangladesh.  The Man from Kabul is a short story about a young girl Mini and her friendship with an elderly man from Kabul, the Kabuliwalah.

Mini’s First Meeting with Kabuliwalah

Mini is five years old at the beginning of the short story.  She cannot stop talking.  She shorts questions one after another without bothering about the answer.  One day, when the author is bus writing a story, Mini disturbs him with her presence.  The father asks her to sits quietly, Mini sits by the window and sees the Kabuliwalah, a man from Kabul.

The Kabuliwalah’s real name is Abdur Rahman.  He is a peddler.  He carries a huge bag.  Small kids like Mini think that the Kabuliwalah carries big men in his bag.  Kids are afraid of him.  The author wants Mini to be brave so he calls the Kabuliwalah and does some business with him.  The Kabuliwalah calls Mini and gives her nuts and raisins.  Mini is afraid of him.  She holds her father tight.

Mini and Kabuliwalah Spending Time Together

            As days pass by Mini becomes a friend of Kabuliwalah.  They sit by the door and keep talking.  The talk and laugh at their own jokes.  The Kabuliwalah gives Mini nuts and raisins.  The author gives him little money, which he accepts.  The author goes out and on his return home; he finds the little money that he had given to Kabuliwalah is in Mini’s hand.  The author’s wife scolds Mini for getting money from the Kabuliwalah.  The author safeguards her.

            The Kabuliwalah asks Mini about when she would go to her father-in-law’s house.  Mini asks the same question to him.  Father-in-law’s house is a local idiom that means a police station.  The Kabuliwalah replies that he would thrash his father-in-law.

            The Kabuliwalah never forgets to meet Mini.  If he does not come in the morning, he would come in the evening.  One day the police beat the Kabuliwalah in the road.  The author goes out and enquires the reason.  They say that the Kabuliwalah was arrested because of the murderous assault of another person.  When he was dragged in the road, Mini asks him whether he is going to his father-in-law’s house and the Kabuliwalah accepts it with a smile.

Last Meeting of Mini and Kabuliwalah

            Days pass by Mini and everyone forget about Abdur.  Mini grows into a young girl.  She is to be married off.  The author’s house is in a festive mood and it is all lit up.   Mini is to be married that night.  Abdur Rahman comes home.  The author is surprised by his return.  He brings some presents to Mini.  The author offers money to him, which is not accepted.  The Kabuliwalah wishes to meet Mini.  The author first says no, but he recollects his own daughter in Kabul, whom he has not met for a long time.  This moves the author and Mini appears before them as a bride.  The Kabuliwalah teases her that she is going to her father-in-law’s house and Mini blushes.  Mini gets into the house.  The author offers a currency-note to the Kabuliwalah and he asks him to go to Afghanistan and meet his daughter.

Conclusion/Character of the Kabuliwalah

            The Kabuliwalah is introduced as a strange person.  He seems to be a threat to Mini.  The author introduces him as a peddler.  Later we come to know that the Kabuliwalah is a kindhearted father.  Mini is afraid of the Kabuliwalah.  Small kids think the he would carry them away in his bag.  On the course of the narrative, we see him as her friend.  Though Mini’s mother often cautions her husband about Mini’s friendship with Kabuliwalah, the author does not suspect him.  We, the readers, feel sad when the police arrests Kabuliwalah, as he prepares himself to go to Kabul.  After experiencing his term in jail, the Kabuliwalah comes to meet Mini and he maintains the same innocence.  He asks Mini the same old question of father-in-law’s house.  He is a kindhearted father and more of a human being.