The Aundh Experiment: A Gandhian Approach to Government

The Aundh experiment, an important but relatively unknown event in Indian history, took place in a small princely state called Aundh. The experiment was a practical implementation of Gandhian constitutionalism, where the Maharaj of Aundh voluntarily handed over power to the people. The catalyst for this experiment was Morris Friedman, a Jewish electrical engineer turned Sanyasi, who was invited to Aundh by Prince Appa Pant. In December 1938, a delegation from Aundh, including the Maharaja, Prince Pant, and Swami Bharatananda (Friedman), visited Mahatma Gandhi to seek his guidance in drafting the state's constitution. Gandhi's ideas of direct elections, universal adult suffrage for literate citizens, and the importance of self-restraint in consumption were incorporated into the Aundh constitution. The experiment saw significant progress in education, administrative reforms, and land taxes, empowering the villages and creating a culture of self-reliance. However, political instabilities, economic challenges, and the larger national political landscape eventually led to the decline of the Aundh experiment. It demonstrated the strengths of Gandhian constitutionalism in empowering rural communities but also revealed its limitations in dealing with larger economic and political trends.