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-4Mendha (Lekha) and the Theory and Practice of Consensus (Mohan Hirabai Hiralal) Consensus decision-making has been and is being attempted in some intentional communities. Gandhian thinkers have advocated its use in the village communities governing themselves; in fact, they have held that it is an essential condition for the village community to become and remain self-governing. However, this is, more often than not, dismissed out of hand as Utopian. Consensus decision-making is not deemed possible in a village community. Mendha (Lekha) has proved that it is possible. And if one village can do it, any village or any small community—even urban community-can do it. People of Mendha (Lekha), a village in the Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra, have declared that 'We have our government in Delhi and Mumbai, but in our village we ourselves are the government', that is, while they send their representatives, like all Indian citizens, to the State Assembly and the Central Parliament, they govern themselves at the village level. They have made their own laws, rules and regulations for their governance. All decisions regarding the village affairs and its development are taken in the village assembly—the real Gramsabha or the Gaon-samaj sabha-consisting of all the adult men and women in the village. Every issue is thoroughly debated therein. Everyone's active participation is sought and encouraged and valued. And all the decisions are taken by consensus. The villagers of Mendha had no knowledge of the ideas of Mahatma Gandhi-hearing about C.T. Lawrence Butler and
