AI ToolsNew
Tools to make learning and teaching easier
Genre
Explanation and Analysis:
“Kabuliwala” is a short story that was written as part of the Bengali Renaissance, an artistic and social movement that took place from the late 18th to early 20th century in the Bengal region of India. The Bengali Renaissance was defined by the propagation of anticolonial, humanist, and liberal ideals. Calcutta (located in the state of Bengal) was the seat of British colonial power in India at the time and many writers from Calcutta—like Tagore—sought to challenge British imperialism in their work.
Though “Kabuliwala” does not address colonialism the way Tagore’s other work does, the story does have a social message. By humanizing a lower-class Afghani kabuliwala (or fruit vendor) in the story, Tagore encourages upper-class Bengalis like himself to reconsider their classist and xenophobic beliefs about such people. While many Indians sought to challenge British colonialism by developing a strong nationalist identity—othering people from other countries and cultures in the process—Tagore believed that Indians should see themselves as part of a global community instead.
In this way, “Kabuliwala” can also be considered a work of Contextual Modernism. Contextual Modernism was an artistic movement Tagore was a part of that pushed for humanism and cross-culturalism in literature while also honoring local communities. By demonstrating the possibility of cross-cultural connection in the story (as seen in Rahamat’s relationships with the narrator and his daughter Mini) and also showcasing the beauties of Bengali culture (as seen in Tagore’s rich descriptions of Bengali wedding ceremonies and other cultural elements), Tagore turns this story into a work of contextual modernism.
Related Themes:
