Chapter: 01. The Cabuliwallah
A. Answer these questions.
What did Mini’s mother often do when Mini chattered incessantly? How did the Cabuliwallah manage to overcome Mini’s initial terror after their first meeting? What was the specific item a neighbor was accused of falsely denying buying from Rahmun, leading to his arrest? On the day of Mini’s wedding, what was the first thing Rahmun tried to do when he saw her, trying to revive their old bond? What kinds of sounds were described as part of the wedding preparations early on Mini’s wedding day? B. Answer these questions with reference to the context.
“This was their first meeting.”
a. Who are “their” referring to in this sentence?
b. What was Mini’s primary emotion during this first meeting?
c. How did the Cabuliwallah try to interact with Mini during this meeting? “Even my light-hearted Mini, I am ashamed to say, forgot her old friend.”
a. What event had caused Rahmun to be absent from Mini’s life for this period?
b. What does the phrase “light-hearted Mini” suggest about her nature during her childhood?
c. Why does the narrator say he is “ashamed” that Mini forgot her old friend? “I took them and was going to pay him, but he caught my hand and said: ‘You are very kind, sir! Keep me in your recollection. Do not offer me money!’”
a. What “them” is the narrator referring to here?
b. Why did Rahmun refuse the money from the narrator?
c. What deeper sentiment does Rahmun convey by asking the narrator to “Keep me in your recollection”? C. Think and answer.
How do the physical descriptions of the Cabuliwallah change from his first appearance to his return after imprisonment? What do these changes suggest about his experience? Discuss the significance of the two “father-in-law’s house” exchanges between Mini and Rahmun. How do they highlight Mini’s growth and the passage of time? In what ways does the story emphasize the idea that appearances can be deceiving, both for Mini and for her father regarding Rahmun? 
Practice Paper