From Kabul to Kolkata: Of Belonging, Memories, and Identity

AAS invites you to the opening of the exhibition

From Kabul to Kolkata: Of Belonging, Memories, and Identity

Washington Marriott Wardman Park
Exhibit Hall B South (adjacent to the Book Exhibit)
March 23-24, 2018

9am to 5pm

Photographs by Moska Najib and Nazes Afroz

Exhibit Facebook page

In 1892, Rabindranatha Tagore wrote a short story in Bengali 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.

Taking cues from literary and aesthetic themes encapsulated in Tagore’s short story, the two artists have captured the stories of this secluded and little-known settlement in the present time through documentary and set up art 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. Viewers will experience the tension between preserving an identity and rebuilding a home in a new space.

Primary sponsor
Association for Asian Studies

Exhibition supported by
The American Institute of Afghanistan Studies
James Madison University Center for Global Engagement
University of Sussex Asia Centre

In collaboration with
American Institute of Indian Studies
Council of American Overseas Research Centers