The lives of many international diplomats in India typically replicate the nation’s imaginative and prescient of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’— ‘One Earth One Family One Future’, as they discover and imbibe completely different cultures of their tenures, but work in direction of a typical objective of reaching international cooperation, peace, and development.
Adam Burakowski, Poland’s ambassador to India, enjoys genuine Gujarati delicacies in his lunch break at Gujarat Bhawan Canteen in New Delhi. In a dialog, he underscores the deep roots between India and Poland and the way it all started with the generosity of a Gujarati king throughout World Battle 2. Beginning his meal with a sip of his favorite Gujarati dal, he explains how he has observed that the menu modifications every day however the dal stays a relentless and he loves it.
Is that this your first go to to Gujarat Bhawan or have you ever come right here earlier than?
I found the canteen very early in my five-year tenure in India. I relish the thali for its assortment of appetisers often called farshans, principal course together with greens, lentils, rice, flatbreads, yoghurt, and desserts. I come right here typically throughout my lunch break as a result of it is rather accessible from the embassy, the service is fast and courteous, and the meal is healthful and flavourful.
Have you ever ever visited the place together with your loved ones members or buddies?
I’ve come right here typically with my spouse and buddies.
Poland shares a memorable historical past with India. How do you see the previous and future between the 2 nations?
Mujhe Hindi acchhe se aati hai (smiles confidently). India has all the time intrigued me. There are round 40,000 Indians residing in Poland right now. I used to be a professor of political sciences with a specialisation in India. I’ve even written a e-book on Indian historical past which spans from 1857 to right now. The 2 nations share a long-standing pleasant relationship, marked by high-level political contacts, vibrant financial engagement, and conventional cultural hyperlinks.
Indian investments in Poland are valued at round US$ 4 billion with main sectoral collaborations within the IT sector and cars. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, the connectivity between India and Poland has additionally improved to strengthen bilateral cooperation in tourism and enterprise.
Have you ever ever visited Gujarat too? Inform us one thing about your expertise.
Poland and Gujarat share a particular bond. Throughout World Battle II, when Hitler’s forces invaded Poland in September 1939, a Gujarati king went out of his method to give shelter and care to 1,000 kids, lots of them orphans, at Camp Balachadi close to his seaside summer time retreat in Jamnagar district till the battle lasted. When many countries turned their backs on them, and even the British authorities had been on the verge of refusing them entry, Maharaja Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja of Nawanagar took a stand for them and hosted them with utmost care and hospitality. Other than meals and shelter, a decided effort was made to additional their training whereas conserving their Polish tradition and traditions alive.
As a tribute to the type Maharaja, a sq. in Warsaw was named after the king and a park was made within the space known as ‘Square of the Good Maharaja’ in 2014. A memorial was erected in his honour that the locals go to even right now. For his selfless work in direction of humanity, the Maharaja Jam Saheb was awarded the President’s medal, Poland’s highest honour.
I actually am a graduate of the Maharaja Jam Saheb Digvijay Sinhji Excessive College in Warsaw and have fond recollections of a number of visits to Gujarat throughout my tenure in India.
A documentary titled ‘Little Poland in India’ was made in collaboration with each the Indian and Polish governments to honour the efforts of Maharaja Jam Saheb who led the motion in India to rehabilitate Polish refugees.
If you happen to ever really feel like consuming Gujarati dishes in Poland, the place do you get them from? Is there anywhere the place you’ll be able to take pleasure in a Gujarati meal?
There are 112 Indian eating places solely in Warsaw and most of them serve Gujarati dishes. So the catering business has a scope of booming within the coming future.
Have you ever been to Garvi Gujarat for a Gujarati Meal?
Not but, however I might love to go to earlier than I depart India.
How do you relate your self to Delhi as now you’re heading to your new abode in South Africa?
I’ll miss the tradition, delicacies and heat of India, however South Africa has quite a lot of Indians too, so hopefully, I’ll get Gujarati meals there as nicely.
Not touching the pickle or paan ultimately, the ambassador realises he has not but tried the dinner choices of khichdi and Gujarati kadhi on the restaurant. Thanking the employees for the service, he leaves the premises with a happy smile, a content material abdomen and an “aavjo” (come back again). Because Gujaratis don’t say “goodbye”, they are saying “come again once more”.
Madhuri Shukla is a freelance writer.
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