Kabuliwala Storytelling For Kids

Little B loves weaving stories. Almost every time she has to say something, she would make a story out of it, inserting expressions and her assumptions here and there. Just a couple of days back, we were at Delhi’s iconic Qutub Minar trying to find Sanderson’s Sundial to show it to her. She stood on an empty piece of land and suggested, “I think that we are not able to find the sundial because it is buried under the ground because of a storm or something. We need to dig the ground like archaeologist and excavate it.” She said that and she started digging with her Swiss Army knife that she carries everywhere.

She has always been in love with stories. For me it is a wonderful thing and so I try my best to encourage this love in her in every way that I can.

Last year, a dear friend, Richa Sharma, introduced me to “Kabuliwala.” His real name is Kamal Pruthi but he likes to call himself “Kabuliwala” because of the bag of stories he carries wherever he goes. She suggested that I take Little B to Kabuliwala’s storytelling sessions for kids. I know I can lean on Richa’s advice and so I grabbed the opportunity immediately when Kabuliwala came to Bengaluru for one of his sessions.

The storytelling session happened at Atta Galata, a cosy classic bookstore with an old-world charm. We entered to the smell of books (isn’t that the best?!) and patiently waited for Kabuliwala to come out.

As he appeared, right with his first sight and his first word, he captivated Little B. He was dressed in a typical Afghan attire, a kurta pyjama and a turban, vibrant yet simple. He came with a jhola, a cloth bag all filled up with all sorts of things. Initially Little B was a little skeptical because she was not able to understand if Kabuliwala is a real person or a person dressed up as someone else. However, after the initial few minutes, it didn’t matter because she was, well, hooked by the sight.

The audience was kids and their parents, it was humble in number and yet Kabuliwala gave all that he had. He narrated a story about two brothers and how they decide to share their father’s belongings after his death. Kabuliwala was narrating the story in Hindi heavy with Urdu vocabulary. Most of the children at the session were proficient in neither and yet it seemed that the children were understanding every bit of the story. With his elaborate actions, audience interaction and voice intonations, everyone in the audience was enjoying.

Little B who started the storytelling session while sitting in her father’s lap, was standing on her toes laughing hysterically at the end of it. Even I was chortling as if I have become a child again.

Little B had a crazy time at the session. Days or even weeks after the session, she kept on repeating the phrases Kabuliwala used and the screamed the way he screamed. She even asked me to help her get dressed as a Kabuliwala and deliver her own story.

Can’t wait for Kabuliwala to visit Bengaluru again so that we can delight in another one of sessions.

Know more about Kabuliwala Storytelling for Kids here.

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