ALSphere Foundation
“Are you all from India? Do you know’ Bapu’ or ‘Jam Saheb’? Do not be afraid, for we will all help you reach your destination in India. We do believe in ” Vasudeva Kutumbakam”.
A group of elderly Jew women settlers living in Ukraine spoke to the Indian students who were already in a state of panic after the war started in Ukraine. Many of them were unaware of ‘Jam Saheb’, or Maharaja DigvijaySighji, Ranjit Singh Jadeja’ of Nawalgarh, in Jamnagar Gujarat. They wondered as to why these elderly foreigners, visiting their camp had a soft spot for them.
Shumel, one of those Polish Jew survivors of The Second World War told Prachi Patel, Kiran Desai, and all the Indian students about an incident, which made them feel proud of their country. It gave them hope that they will be provided a safe shelter during their hours of need.
“It was the year 1941 when a ship carrying over five hundred women and more than two hundred orphaned children kept sailing from one country to another. They had sailed from Poland as the Jew refugees, during the Second World War. Our ship finally reached Bombay, but here too we were refused to be embraced by the Britishers. It was finally, at Jamnagar that Maharaja Digvijay Singhji heard of our arrival and immediately welcomed us. He not only gave shelter to all the impoverished and malnourished children, but he also made us join the army school, where we studied for free.
“You may not have your parents, but I am your father now, ” the Maharaja said while welcoming us that day. We began to adore him and called him ‘ Bapu’. We stayed in Nawangar for the entire period of the war like a family, like Bapu’s children. His kindness and hospitality are what we will be grateful for throughout our life. We have been narrating this incident of kindness for generations next. We decided to give shelter to anyone in need like ‘ Bapu’ did that day.”
As Prachi Patel, Kiran Desai, and the other Indian students heard this they felt extremely proud of their motherland. Moreover, they felt much relieved that thousands of miles away from their nation, there were people who firmly believed in the principles of their own country. They stopped panicking. A radiant smile lit over their face. They promised to share their kindness with someone in need.
For ” No act of kindness, no matter how small is ever wasted.”
