Warsaw (Monitoring Desk) Many streets and schools in Warsaw, the capital of the European country Poland, have been named after a Maharaja Jam Sahib of United India. The reason for this was Maharaja Jam Sahib’s selfless spirit during the Second World War, which saved Poland. Save the lives of more than a thousand children.
According to India Times, Maharaja Jam Sahib was the ruler of his state Nawangarh in Gujarat. When Poland was destroyed in World War II and men and women were imprisoned in concentration camps, thousands of children were left behind. About 1,000 of them and dozens of women fled Poland and sought refuge in other countries. But every country refused to give them asylum and they eventually reached India.
There are conflicting reports about how these children and women planned their escape and reached India, but it is said that they traveled from one country to another and, after being rejected from each country, traveled to the Indian state of Nava. He reached Nagar where Maharaja Jam Sahib became his support.
Maharaja Jam Sahib was the ruler of Nawangarh from 1933 to 1948. He inherited power from his uncle KS Rajini Singh Ji who was also a famous Indian cricketer. Maharaja Jam Singh gave these Polish children a home-like environment in Nawangar. arranged for their education and established a special library with Polish language books so that they would not forget their mother tongue.
It is said that when the ship of these Polish children and women arrived at Mumbai port, even the British Governor refused to accept them. The Maharaja had heard about the sufferings of the Polish people so he asked the British Governor to allow the ship to anchor but the Governor refused.
The Maharaja then ordered the ship of Polish emigrants to anchor at the port of his kingdom, ‘Rozy’, and thus began the story that Polish people tell their children even today. After the Polish children and women landed at the port, the Maharaja gave them a warm welcome and told them, “Don’t think of yourselves as orphans. Now you are in Nawangar and I am the heir of all the people of Nawangar, including you. I am your ‘papu’.
The Maharaja built a camp for these women and children near his summer palace, which was 25 km from the state capital Jamnagar. Among these children was a child named ‘Vesla Stipula’ who later described the Maharaja’s hospitality saying, “When we reached the camp, the Maharaja gave us a party. They did not know what we children like to eat. Although we were hungry, we had not eaten, on which ‘Bapu’ (Maharaja Jam Sahib) said, “Don’t worry, I will fix everything.” After that he invited 7 young cooks from Goa who cooked European food for us.” Even today Maharaja Jam Sahib is remembered as ‘Good Maharaja’ in Poland.
