THE FRUIT SELLER FROM KABUL
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engh_2016This is a story written by Rabindranath Tagore about 20th century Kolkata . The story is about a bond of friendship between a fruit seller from Kabul and a little girl named Mini.
The fruit seller, Abdur Rehman Khan came all the way from Afghanistan leaving behind his wife and daughter to sell fruits in Kolkata. During those days these people from Kabul used to come to Kolkata to earn money and it was only at the end of the year that they went back to Kabul to meet their families. Mini was a cheerful and innocent girl of five years who had a curiosity about the world and unlike the society of those days, the protagonist (who is also the father of Mini) never stopped Mini from anything. One fine day, the fruit seller was walking through her colony when he saw her . He came near Mini to talk to her but she ran away. Abdur Rehman was tall, huge with a thick beard. He looked scary and carried a huge bag with him. In those days , parents used to refrain their kids from talking to these people by saying that they kidnap kids by putting them inside their bags. Mini’s father was an open minded person and made mini talk to that ‘kabuliwala’ (fruit seller). Mini was a chatterbox. She loved to talk. Every afternoon Abdur used to come to her house to talk to her . He used to give Mini raisins and dry fruits for free but the protagonist preferred to pay the price. Abdur was a father of a girl whom he had left in Kabul. She was just like Mini. He missed his daughter alot and it was Mini through whom he could see his daughter . Mini filled up the incompleteness in his heart with love and joy. Mini’s mother was not very fond of the friendship between them. She was scared cause Abdur looked like one of those kidnappers who used to flee away with kids but the protagonist never stopped Mini from talking to him ,even sometimes, he used to chat with him aswell. Mini’s father understood how much Abdur missed his family especially his daughter. Months went by, and it became a routine. Everyday Mini used to wait for the ‘kabuliwala’ and when he came she used to shout with happiness “ kabuliwala ! oh, kabuliwala!” . The story took a turn when one fine day Adbur got into a fight with a person who was supposed to pay him money . That person bought a afgani shawl from Abdur and kept on postponing the payment . When Abdur lost his temper he punched that guy. This led to imprisonment of Abdur for eight years .
Life went on. It was eight years later and Abdur was freed from the jail. He went to mini’s house. It was Mini’s marriage . Abdur had nothing to gift her , no money , no fruits , nothing. Mini’s father could not recognize him in the beginning . But as soon as Abdur gave that known smile , he recognized him. At first the narrator didn’t allow him to meet Mini. Abdur became emotional and showed him a small , old paper on which a handprint was there . Black charcoal hand print of Abdur’s daughter . The author understood what it meant . He called Mini who failed to recognize Abdur and went back to her room. Abdur’s face became all teary when he realized that his daughter has grown up and it’s time for her marriage as well. It’s been eight years and his family must be waiting for him. But he didn’t have money to go back. Realizing this Mini’s father cut off the budget of lights and other decorations of the wedding and gave the money to Abdur. He gave the money so that he can return to his hometown and give her daughter a good marriage . For mini’s father Abdur’s blessings to Mini mattered the most . Being a father he could understand Abdur’s love for his daughter whom he didnot meet for ages !
This story shows the lives of two fathers . Abdur left his daughter and family in Kabul to earn money in Kolkata . He found happiness by talking to Mini who was exactly like his daughter . On the day of Mini’s marriage the protagonist understood the pain of how it feels to live without a daughter since he knows that Mini would soon belong to some other family . That little girl Mini, grew up . The protagonist gave the money to Abdur so that he can finally meet his own daughter. Both of them were in pain. Abdur’s pain of not being able to meet his beloved daughter for so many years and the author’s pain of saying goodbye to his daughter, Mini after so many years.
I chose this book because the story is different which has a different kind of bond between people. The story is short and if you start reading you wouldn't know how quickly it ended. Tagore portrayed the love between a father and a daughter and the transfer of the same kind of love to a little girl. The story is brief, simple and fascinating . Everyone should read this book . Its heart touching and will leave a huge impact in your heart.
The fruit seller, Abdur Rehman Khan came all the way from Afghanistan leaving behind his wife and daughter to sell fruits in Kolkata. During those days these people from Kabul used to come to Kolkata to earn money and it was only at the end of the year that they went back to Kabul to meet their families. Mini was a cheerful and innocent girl of five years who had a curiosity about the world and unlike the society of those days, the protagonist (who is also the father of Mini) never stopped Mini from anything. One fine day, the fruit seller was walking through her colony when he saw her . He came near Mini to talk to her but she ran away. Abdur Rehman was tall, huge with a thick beard. He looked scary and carried a huge bag with him. In those days , parents used to refrain their kids from talking to these people by saying that they kidnap kids by putting them inside their bags. Mini’s father was an open minded person and made mini talk to that ‘kabuliwala’ (fruit seller). Mini was a chatterbox. She loved to talk. Every afternoon Abdur used to come to her house to talk to her . He used to give Mini raisins and dry fruits for free but the protagonist preferred to pay the price. Abdur was a father of a girl whom he had left in Kabul. She was just like Mini. He missed his daughter alot and it was Mini through whom he could see his daughter . Mini filled up the incompleteness in his heart with love and joy. Mini’s mother was not very fond of the friendship between them. She was scared cause Abdur looked like one of those kidnappers who used to flee away with kids but the protagonist never stopped Mini from talking to him ,even sometimes, he used to chat with him aswell. Mini’s father understood how much Abdur missed his family especially his daughter. Months went by, and it became a routine. Everyday Mini used to wait for the ‘kabuliwala’ and when he came she used to shout with happiness “ kabuliwala ! oh, kabuliwala!” . The story took a turn when one fine day Adbur got into a fight with a person who was supposed to pay him money . That person bought a afgani shawl from Abdur and kept on postponing the payment . When Abdur lost his temper he punched that guy. This led to imprisonment of Abdur for eight years .
Life went on. It was eight years later and Abdur was freed from the jail. He went to mini’s house. It was Mini’s marriage . Abdur had nothing to gift her , no money , no fruits , nothing. Mini’s father could not recognize him in the beginning . But as soon as Abdur gave that known smile , he recognized him. At first the narrator didn’t allow him to meet Mini. Abdur became emotional and showed him a small , old paper on which a handprint was there . Black charcoal hand print of Abdur’s daughter . The author understood what it meant . He called Mini who failed to recognize Abdur and went back to her room. Abdur’s face became all teary when he realized that his daughter has grown up and it’s time for her marriage as well. It’s been eight years and his family must be waiting for him. But he didn’t have money to go back. Realizing this Mini’s father cut off the budget of lights and other decorations of the wedding and gave the money to Abdur. He gave the money so that he can return to his hometown and give her daughter a good marriage . For mini’s father Abdur’s blessings to Mini mattered the most . Being a father he could understand Abdur’s love for his daughter whom he didnot meet for ages !
This story shows the lives of two fathers . Abdur left his daughter and family in Kabul to earn money in Kolkata . He found happiness by talking to Mini who was exactly like his daughter . On the day of Mini’s marriage the protagonist understood the pain of how it feels to live without a daughter since he knows that Mini would soon belong to some other family . That little girl Mini, grew up . The protagonist gave the money to Abdur so that he can finally meet his own daughter. Both of them were in pain. Abdur’s pain of not being able to meet his beloved daughter for so many years and the author’s pain of saying goodbye to his daughter, Mini after so many years.
I chose this book because the story is different which has a different kind of bond between people. The story is short and if you start reading you wouldn't know how quickly it ended. Tagore portrayed the love between a father and a daughter and the transfer of the same kind of love to a little girl. The story is brief, simple and fascinating . Everyone should read this book . Its heart touching and will leave a huge impact in your heart.
