In 1892, the legendary Bengali author, Rabindranath Tagore, wrote a short story about a man from a distant land – Afghanistan – living in Kolkata. Since then, the Kabuliwala has taken on a life of its own, with translations in many Indian and foreign languages as well as cinematic adaptations and theatrical performances. While until a few decades ago, real Kabuliwalas were a common sight on the streets of Kolkata, as in most cities of north and central India, today stereotypes and standard attributes have formed an ambiguous image of these people. Inspired by this story, Moska Najib and Nazes Afroz, two journalist-cum-photographers, embarked on a project about the Kabuliwalas of Kolkata that touches upon social transformations within this community over the past 100 years. The two artists have captured the stories of this secluded and little- known settlement in the present time through photography. The series will connect viewers to the themes of human bonding as narrated by Tagore and will also touch on the issues of loss of identity and a new sense of belonging. Join the conversation as the photography exhibition travels across 4 cities in South Asia to viewers who will experience the tension between preserving an identity and rebuilding a home in a new space.
