State and Government in Ancient India c24.12

c24.12

At the attainment of Independence in India in 1947 there were a number of ruling princes in the country, and it was possible to try the experiment of the limited monarchy in their states on the Vedic lines. Things however moved with a lightning rapidity and most of the ruling princes agreed to merge their states in the Indian Republic. For a few years about half a dozen members of the princely order functioned as hereditary Rājapramukhas, but all of them disappeared in that capacity when the recommendations of the States Reorganisation Committee were given effect to in 1956. The days of even limited monarchy are thus over in India.