Gandhian Thought in Seva Mandir

This chapter recounts the vision and experience of Seva Mandir, an NGO based in southern Rajasthan. Seva Mandir’s practice is inspired by Gandhian thought and practice. At its core is the idea of communities of care—local people coming together to take responsibility for the local ecological and cultural commons, thereby organically leading to justice and sustainable, equitable development. Such work is difficult, takes time, and involves acknowledging and addressing the internal contradictions in communities exposed to individuated, dependency-laden “benefits” from the developmental state and from unbridled economic growth. The chapter shows the potential of Seva Mandir’s path of insisting on local democracy (of social relations) and autonomous capacity for self-governance (swaraj) for attaining meaningful development. The chapter also explores the importance and challenges of building institutions and institutional cultures that embed and embody these values. In the case of Seva Mandir, early on a culture of dialogue, reflexivity and care took root and was nurtured by inspiring leaders at different levels of organizational hierarchy and especially at the grassroots. The chapter suggests that this too is a key element of Gandhian practice.