-How did "Balachodi" become Poland's second home in India?

Maharaja Jam Saheb with Polish children celebrating Christmas

Well, let me start off by saying that by the end of this article you will be left with nothing but more and more respect towards our ancient Indian rulers and there kind heartedness which is rarely found these days in modern India.

Things go to back to 20th Century where the world was still recovering from the damage that had caused after WWI. Many countries had suffered severe Socio-economical damage including the ones with strongest economy and defense. Poland being the victim of ambush made things even worse for the people of the country who had no choice but to trust its government with their life in hands of mercy of the powerful nations like Hitler’s Germany and Stalin’s Soviet Union.

Holocaust in Poland (Beginning of WW II)

It was on 23rd August 1939 just prior to WWII Germany had signed a Non-aggression agreement also called as (Hitler – Stalin Pact) with Soviet Union and a secrete treaty of destroying Poland. As per the treaty it was the Red army that would help Germans in their invasion of Poland. As a result Poland was targeted by the world’s then most powerful countries. The war began on 1st September 1939; Nazi troops flooded the western part of Poland with Artilleries and tanks by attacking and destroying the polish army and also killing several civilians on their way of invasion. Meanwhile during this Holocaust, East-end of the Poland was attacked right after 16 days of the Germany’s invasion. But for the Red army it only took 29 days to capture the eastern part of the Poland. Later during the occupation, Soviet authorities forced hundreds of thousands of Poles (Polish) to migrate deeper into Soviet territory, which included Siberia. Germany’s attack on the USSR in 1941 changed the political landscape of Poland considerably. A year later, some Polish refugees were allowed to leave the Soviet Union.

Polish children stranded during the war

It was during this period that Red Cross came into the picture, by helping injured soldiers and their family to stay safe and moving civilians to a better place. Most of the teenagers and men were taken away by the Red army for the camps construction works, women were either raped or exploited and many atrocities were done to the poles by the USSR. After which Red Cross felt the need to shift all the helpless women and their children to a country which could give them shelter during this hard phase of Poland.

Following which, women and children were put into ships and were asked to leave the port and not return till the war was over completely, many families waved their last goodbye to their loved and young ones knowing that they would never see them again in their lifetime. As the families left Poland and reached out to many countries on the way, most of them rejected to give refuge to poles in their countries. It was during this time that one of the Indian princes came to know about the plight of 1,000 polish orphans struggling to survive.

Maharaja “Jam Sahib Digvijay Singh Jadeja” who was the prince of Nawanagar (currently known as Jamnagar which is part of Gujarat) was the heading the Chamber of Indian Princes and it was during his role as member of the “British Imperial War Cabinet” He came to know the situation of Poland in the war and the people looking for safe place to stay outside Poland. He immediately took initiative to adopt all the orphans who had come on the journey. Also he personally met each and everyone during their stay. He did quote that “You are not orphans now and I am your Bapu” every time that he visited the children.

Orphans in Balachodi

Since the British India did not allow to accept and provide shelter to the refugees. The orphans were bought to Balachodi. Maharaja took care of them personally and created everything those children needed at that point of time at his own cost in his own land. His guest house was used as school for them, children were fed nutritious food and they were given hospitality and a memorable childhood. He also took extra care so that the culture and ethnicity of the polish children remained till the end of their stay. Maharaja even used to organize sports to the children and kept them happy as much as possible.

Refugees in Valivade

The Orphans stayed in Balachodi from 1942 to 1946 till the end of WW II, later when the war was over the orphans were sent back to Poland except for the children who had not found their family or were waiting for their loved ones were allowed to stay back till 1948 in Valivade near Kolhapur Maharashtra. Very less people went back to their roots as the their families were scattered during the war following which most of the people settled across the Common wealth nations looking for better lifestyles and occupation since it was easy as they were all ruled by the British.

In 2011, Poland granted the “Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Polish Republic” on Maharaja Jam Saheb Digvijaysinhji R. Jadeja , at least six public and private schools were named after him in Warsaw, while a prominent junction in the capital’s Ochota district in Warsaw was dedicated as “The Square of the Good Maharaja” with his statue in 2013.

Memorial Piller

Even now in their 90’s or above poles/polish who were refugees back in 20th century keep returning to Valivade and Jamnagar to relive the fond memories of those years they spent here in India.

The good Maharaja Square in Warsaw