“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” performed by Enya (courtesy of enyatv):
“A generous heart, kind speech,
and a life of service and compassion
are the things which renew humanity.”
The Buddha
Schindler’s List Theme by John Williams, performed by Itzhak Perlman and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (courtesy of SonySoundtracksVEVO):
“A thousand candles can be lighted from the flame of one candle,
and the life of the candle will not be shortened.
Happiness can be spread without diminishing that of yourself.”
Mahatma Gandhi
“Questa Notte” (This Night) by Ludovico Einaudi (courtesy of Elliott Walsh):
When I heard this incredible story, I knew that it had to be told at Christmastime, as this is a true tale of hope, redemption, and altruism. I re-publish this post at Christmas every year as a tribute to the amazing achievement of an Indian nobleman who is known as Indian Heart or the Indian Oscar Schindler; his name is Maharaja Jam Saheb of Nawanagar. I know some readers might at this point turn, ready to leave, these I will beg to stay and hear the story first. No one can choose into which family, or which country to be born, it is how we use the advantages given that make us special or not. This man personally saved the lives of a thousand orphans and six hundred women who were on the point of dying from starvation in orphanages during Stalin’s reign of terror in Russia during World War II. What makes this Indian man remarkable is that these were Polish orphans whose parents had been murdered on Stalin’s orders, and he had nothing to do with either Poland or Russia. Furthermore, he persuaded his friends to join him in his rescue mission, and in total, he brought back to the safety of India, five thousand orphans.
Does anyone still want to leave now?
Courtesy of Historia Maxima:
The “Good Maharaja”
The Maharaja’s uncle, Sir Ranjitsinhji Vibhaji Jadeja, a famed cricketer, whom he succeeded
THE FATHER OF THOUSAND ORPHANS
DIGVIJAYSINHJI RANJITSINHJI JADEJA, MAHARAJA JAM SAHEB OF NAWANAGAR
18 September 1895 – 2 March 1966
He was born into a wealthy family and succeeded his uncle, the famed cricketer Ranjitsinhji. Highly educated in England, he spent some years in the army.
“Piano Concerto in A Minor II. Romanza. Andante” by Ignacy Jan Paderewski, performed by Nelson Goerner and the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra:
When World War II broke out, he was in England taking part in negotiations to end the British rule. Here, he met the Polish General Sikorski, head of the Polish government in exile in London. From London, he went to stay in Switzerland, where his neighbour was a former Polish president, Paderewski, a pianist and composer, where he learned about the dire fate of thousands of Polish orphans. He volunteered to give them a sanctuary in India, in Gujarat, in one of his villages, Balachadi. At that time no one knew what state the children were in. They had been left to starve. Given one slice of bread a day, in dirty rags, covered in lice, they had frostbite, and many had died already. They were scattered in orphanages across Russia, another problem to overcome.
“Uletay Na Kriliyah Vetra” (Fly Away on the Wings of the Wind) from the Polovtsian Dances in Prince Igor by Alexander Borodin (courtesy of Kalevala Folk):
The Maharaja set about organising the rescue with military precision. As Stalin allowed the Polish orphans to leave Russia, they were taken to Persia (now Iran) in groups of 160 by train, There a convoy of several military trucks driven by Indian drivers waited. The children were piled, dirty and in their rags, onto the trucks. At least they were given some food bought on the markets by the very kind and friendly Indian drivers. Just as well, because they were bewildered, frightened, and crying for their parents. The convoy moved slowly the 1,500 kilometres, through the rough and mountainous parts of Afghanistan to India. There were many problems during this difficult journey but everyone just lived for the day they would reach the safety of India.
Unseen Afghanistan Hindu Kush Mountains (courtesy of Khyber Khan):
Among a few adults accompanying the children was a chaplain, Francis Pluta. Told by his superior that he had to go with the children, and then stay at the camp in India, he pleaded to be excused. He was already traumatised by having been kept at a brutal concentration camp in Russia, and twice on the point of execution, he had just survived by a miracle. Now, he understood that God’s will saved him for a reason, and he agreed to go on the long journey.
“O Holy Night” performed by Craig Ogden:
The epic journey of these refugees has been commemorated by a Symphonic Poem “The Journey” by the composer Ganesh B. Kumar, which comprises the second part of his album “Spirit of Humanity”. Speaking on his second composition, Ganesh Kumar said, “As with the first composition, I was seeking a challenging and meaningful theme for my second work. My search ended when Shri. Anand Madhavan drew my attention to a treasure trove of lesser known historic events of pre-independence India (1942-1947), which included the touching act of humanitarianism by Maharaj Jam Saheb Digvijay Singhji, who was the first ruler to open doors to and save the lives of thousands of Polish refugees during the Second World War. The magnanimity of the Maharaj and the riveting tale of displacement, despair, migration and resettlement of Polish refugees from the Soviet Union to India, inspired me to write the Symphonic Poem THE JOURNEY – from Despair to Hope, as a fitting tribute to the ‘Maharaj’, ruler of the erstwhile princely state of Nawanagar, Gujarat.”
“The Journey” by Ganesh B Kumar, performed by Jaqueline Zierau and the Choir of the Opera Halle (courtesy of Various Artists – Topic):
On arrival in the village Balachadi, the Maharaja welcomed them, saying: “You are no longer orphans. From now on you are Nawanagarians and I am your Bapu, father of all Nawanagarians, and I will look after you all.”
“El Noi de la Mare” (The Child of the Mother), a traditional Catalan Christmas melody (courtesy of Relaxing Harp Music):
On Christmas Eve the Maharaja with the children:
There were bungalows ready for them, with a bed for each child, a clean change of clothes, washing facilities, and food waiting. The filthy rags were burned and after a thorough wash, they sat down to their first proper meal for months.
One of the children, now an old lady, remembered: “We thought this was Paradise, a beautiful place, with the ocean lapping our bare feet, colourful, exotic plants and flowers, wonderfully warm, and safe. We were so happy!”
Jamnagar (courtesy of Rohan Vadgama):
After the medical checks and the clean-up operation, a school was opened, with each child given a school uniform. To make the initial learning more comfortable for the children, the Maharaja recruited Polish teachers but also arranged English language lessons. A set of musical instruments was bought and in no time a small orchestra was practising and first entertaining at school, but later, playing for the Maharaja at his palace, which was close to the camp.
“Csárdás” by Vittorio Monti, performed by Nancy Webb (courtesy of Webb Family Music):
Having their own orchestra meant that the dance evenings were very popular, and children in their sewing classes made various costumes. It could be for Christmas or a folk dance routine. Apart from singing the Polish anthem, they delighted the Maharaja by singing for him the Nawanagar anthem. This must have come from their overflowing with love and gratitude hearts because Karolina, one of the saved children, now 90, when asked to sing, gave a perfect rendition of the Nawanagar anthem, in Hindi. And she looks at least twenty years younger, I presume, because of that magical childhood.
Karolina Rybka
Courtesy of CBC News:
In 1947, India gained independence from British rule and all non-Indians had to leave. All the children, now teenagers, left for Canada or the USA, some went to Poland after their relatives were found. Karolina, arrived by ship in Halifax, Canada, invited by her pen pal’s family
Some memories of the refugees from “A Little Poland in India” (courtesy of Mumbai Women’s International Film Festival; the complete documentary is available to view online):
Rajkumar Sukhdevsinh, the 83-year-old nephew of the Maharaja, remembered spending a lot of time playing football with the boys from the camp and staying with the children during Christmas celebrations. “My uncle was by nature a wonderful man. His mindset was to help, to say here is a good cause, a worthy cause, something I should be doing”, said Sukhdevsinhji.
“Walking In The Air” by Howard Blake, performed by Peter Auty (courtesy of NASA Johnson):
The Maharaja never asked for anything in return for his grand gesture but dreamed of the day that he could walk in Poland on a street named after him in liberated Poland. That didn’t happen in his lifetime. It was only after Poland was fully independent in 1989 that a square in Warsaw was named touchingly after him, “Dobry Maharadza” (Good Maharaja).
A monument was erected and he was awarded posthumously The Commander’s Cross of Order of Merit of the Republic.
The words on the monument that say it all:
TO HONOUR
GOOD MAHARAJA
GRATEFUL POLISH NATION
JAM SAHEB SHIDIGVAJAY SINHJI RANJITSINHJI JAOIJA
MAHARAJA DUCHY NAWANARA
HE SURROUNDED WITH CARE 1000 POLISH CHILDREN
HE EVACUATED FROM THE SOVIET UNION TO INDIA
FROM JULY 1942 TO NOVEMBER 1946
HE PROVIDED THEM WITH HOMES, FOOD, MEDICAL CARE
AND EDUCATION IN A CAMP BUILT FOR THEM CLOSE
BY HIS SUMMER RESIDENCE IN BALACHADI
A school in Warsaw was named after Maharaja and the words on the monument expressed the feelings of people in a country a continent away from India.
For those readers who don’t speak Hindi or Polish, here is a translation from the monument, below, in India:
TO HONOUR THE NAWANAGARI LAND
WHICH DURING DIFFICULT YEARS OF WORLD WAR II
PROVIDED SANCTUARY AND HOSPITALITY TO ONE THOUSAND
DESTITUTE POLISH CHILDREN POLISH NATION AND THE GRATEFUL CHILDREN
OF THE PREVIOUS CAMP AT BALACHADI NEAR NAWANAGARA
Nonetheless, despite these tributes, the story of the Good Maharaja is not at all as well known as it should be. Courtesy of India In Details:
This low profile is likely to change if or when the film “The Good Maharaja” is eventually released. It is an epic Indo-Polish war film directed by Vikash Verma and produced by G7 Films Poland. The film stars Sanjay Dutt in the titular role. Judging by the other works of Vikash Verma, this film would be a worldwide success. I would urge everyone who has the opportunity to support the film, either by going to see it or buying a copy, as a tribute to this extraordinary man.
This post is based on the book written by the nephew of the chaplain who stayed with the children at the camp. The author’s name is Leonard Pluta and he lives in Canada. The book’s title in English is “Father of Thousand Orphans”.
It would be difficult to add anything to this heart-warming, uplifting story; the facts speak, no, shout for themselves, except to let Mahatma Gandhi to have the last word :
“BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS
WHEN I DESPAIR, I REMEMBER THAT ALL THROUGH
HISTORY THE WAY OF TRUTH AND LOVE HAVE ALWAYS WON.
THERE HAVE BEEN TYRANTS AND MURDERERS AND FOR A TIME,
THEY CAN SEEM INVINCIBLE BUT IN THE END, THEY ALWAYS
FALL, THINK OF IT ….. ALWAYS.”
“A Thousand Candles” by Svetlin Marinov and Antoniya Mineva (courtesy of Marinov):
An in-depth account of this story is given here:
The Noble and Compassionate Heart of the Maharaja Jam Saheb Digvijay Sinhi
And finally to my dear readers, courtesy of AnimeSnatcher, a festive wish from the masters of Christmas cheer:
naturetails 
“I re-publish this post at Christmas every year” – and every year I read it Joanna. I had never heard of Maharaja Jam Saheb of Nawanagar before you wrote about him, but he’s a hero if ever there was one – not just a hero, but an inspiration to all of us who strive to be a decent person in a compassionate world. With so much conflict around the globe these days let’s hope there’s another ‘Jam’ somewhere out there. Thanks for posting this again Joanna and hope that you’re still on the road to a full recovery. Have a wonderful Christmas and wishing you a much better 2025.
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Thank you, dear Malc, for your wonderful comments! Every word you have written about my hero resonates with me!
I am fine, thank you for the good wishes.
Merry Christmas to you, and all the best in New Year 2025.
Joanna
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PS. I have to add, dear Malc, that you inspire me and others by being the personification of kindness! Thank you for the beautiful carol!
Joanna xx
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You’re welcome Joanna and have a great weekend and lead up to the big day x
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Thank you, Malc!
Joanna x
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Wonderful post, Joanna. I can see why it deserves an annual Christmas time outing. Hope to see the movie when it comes out.
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Thank you, Pat, for your beautiful comments! I am happy that you feel the same as I do! It would be wonderful to see the film but it seems it is slow in getting finished.
Joanna
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You are right Joanna. This story needs to be retold every year at Christmas. There are many true heroes around that we never here of, unless someone else sings their praises. True heroes do what is necessary and right without seeking reward or recognition. Wishing you a Merry Christmas. Allan
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Thank you, Allan, for your wonderful comments! I am happy that you agree with my view! Merry Christmas!
Joanna
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Excellent essay. I’d never heard of this gentleman before. He was a very great person.
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Thank you, Neil, for your wonderful comments! I am happy that you now know of this unique man and feel inspired by his generosity in helping others.
Joanna
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Thank you for posting this wonderful essay! I had never heard of Maharaja Jam Saheb of Nawanagar before you mentioned him and I think we really need someone like that these days
I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year, hoping a you make a full recovery as soon as possible💙💖💙
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Thank you, dear Luisa, for your wonderful comments! I am so happy that you are sharing my view!
I am fine and looking forward to New Year 2025.
Merry Christmas!
Joanna x
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Such a heartwarming post Joanna! Thank you for this, every bit of it!
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Thank you, Dorothy, for your wonderful comments! Merry Christmas!
Joanna x
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You are always very kind, dearest Joanna. I thank you both for this and for your precious friendship 💞
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A great story! The children with the long white beards add a touch of levity to a difficult but ultimately triumphant story.
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Thank you, dearest Luisa, for your beautiful words! It is an honor to have your friendship!
Joanna
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Thank you, Steve, for your lovely comments! All greatly appreciated!
Joanna
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🙏💫🙏
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Without question this is my favourite Christmas story because it is not a sweet fiction but the true and inspiring account of a really good man. It is proof that goodness does exist in the human soul`
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Thank you, Carolyn, for your thoughtful comments! Every word you have written resonates with me, and I love it all!
Merry Christmas!
Joanna
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A phone call came while I was writing and the finger hit enter…I meant to say thank you for your wonderful presentation of this great and amazing story. The music and videos are such a delight. You have really outdone yourself and that is quite an achievement Joanna! Many blessings to you.
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Thank you, Joanna, for sharing this post about the remarkable Dobry Maharadza (Good Maharaja) Jam Saheb of Nawanagar, as I had hoped. His extraordinary personality deserves to be celebrated—not only to honour his courage, risk-taking, and generosity but also to inspire others to follow his example of kindness, especially during the holy festival of Christmas. And the beginning of the post with the quotes of the Buddha and Mahatma Gandhi was so appropriate here.
Though Maharaja had no direct connection to Russia, Poland, or the dynamics of oppressors and oppressed, his actions were deeply rooted in humanity, as you have beautifully illustrated through videos and pictures. I deeply admire this great soul and take immense pride in the fact that he hailed from my country.
A word for the resilient Polish people: it’s heartening to see that liberated Poland recognised his noble gesture by naming a street or square or school after him and erecting a memorial in his honour. In contrast, we’ve recently witnessed how their legacy has been treated in a neighbouring country.
I thoroughly enjoyed Karolina’s memoirs. The post gives a comprehensive account of Jam Saheb’s incredible contributions. Thank you once again, Joanna, for resharing this wonderful post. Wishing you a Merry Christmas in advance!
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Thank you so much, Kaushal, for beyond words wonderfully thoughtful comments! All I would like to add is that my post is not only a perfect story for Christmas but also for Diwali and other world religious festivities. I appreciate every word of your comment, and as always, will read it a few times more as it lifts my spirits!
Joanna
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Thank you so much, Carolyn, for your magnificent words of praise! You made my day!
Joanna x
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Hopefully it’s because they want to make a movie worthy of the subject.🤞🤞🤞
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Thank you, Pat, you might be right!
Joanna
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It’s truly my pleasure, Joanna. Thanks a lot! You’re always welcome!
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Thank you, Kaushal!
Joanna
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Thank you so much for sharing this heartwarming story, Joanna. Real life stories always fill us with more awe than fiction. His life is to be celebrated and you are doing such a fine service to his memory by sharing it every year at Christmas.
Merry Christmas and Happy New year, dear Joanna. Xoxo
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It was worth the wait and glad you are back Joanna with your stories so rich in music, history, photos and research. Sharing Maharaja is a gift to all and he lives on in all of us. Merry Christmas my friend!!! 💗
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Thank you so much, Punam, for your wonderful comments! Yes, I am devoted to my hero’s memory because he deserves to be known and revered. I do appreciate every kind word you wrote, and cannot thank you enough!
All the best in the New Year 2025!
Joanna x
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An amazing story about a remarkable human being. Thank you, Joanna. 🤗💓🎅
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Thank you, dear Cindy, for your wonderfully thoughtful comments, all greatly appreciated! I am so happy that you liked the music and videos, and the message about kindness being the greatest virtue. All the best for the festive season and the New Year 2025!
Joanna x
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Thank you, Ashley, for the wonderful comments! I am so glad you admire my hero too!
Merry Christmas!
Joanna x
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Thank you, Joanna. Happy winter solstice (tomorrow) see my next post. I will write soon. This year has had a few highs but also lows. 🤗💓🎅
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Thank you, Ashley! I will read your post, and hope the first sign of spring will be soon! I am looking forward to read your news!
Joanna x
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A truly beautiful story Joanna! And a most blessed man for sure! A treasure!
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Thank you, Phil, for your wonderful comments! I cannot tell you how happy your words make me!
Merry Christmas!
Joanna
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What an incredible share dear Joanna. 🙏🏼 Thank you for republishing the amazing achievement and life of Maharaja Jam Saheb of Nawanagar. I agree with you that his story is one of hope, redemption, and altruism. Kindness and love are indeed the greatest virtues. Bless you my friend and enjoy your holidays. Cheers! 🎄⛄🥂
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Thank you, drear Kym, for your wonderfully thoughtful comments! I agree with everything you wrote!
All the best to you for the festive season and New Year 2025!
Joanna xx
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Hi Joanna! My great pleasure! An inspiring post I am sure I will read again! Merry Christmas! Phil
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Oh Joanna, I appreciate you so much! 🙏🏼 Sending you the best greetings for the season my friend. Keep soaring into the new year too! 🐱🏍🥳🎉😍🎄
Hugs and smooches, 🤗💖😘
✨ Kym
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He was a remarkable person. This is a very fitting story for this time of year (or really any time of the year). Thanks for sharing.
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Thank you so much, Diana, for your wonderful comments that resonate with my view about my hero!
You are more than welcome!
Joanna
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Yet again, Joanna, you have provided us with a tremendously informative post with great images and music. Thank you. Best wishes to you for a joyful Christmas and a Happy, healthy, and peaceful New Year.
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Thank you, Peter, for your wonderful comments! All greatly appreciated!
Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year 2025!
Joanna
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Great story! Beautifully written and illustrated! I love the music too! Thank you, Joanna! ❤️✨️
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Thank you, Filipa, for your beautiful comments! All greatly appreciated!
Joanna
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