Reclaiming porombokke: Who gets to shape the commons?

Eleven years ago, the land that now houses Dr Ambedkar Pagutharivu Padasalai, run by Vyasai Thozhargal in North Chennai’s Vyasarpadi, was a sewage-filled stretch of abandoned Government land. Through collective effort, it was transformed into a tuition centre providing free classes to mostly Dalit students in the neighbourhood.For Sarath Kumar, founder, Vyasai Thozhargal, this story reflects the potential of poromboke — the common space.“We are running a tuition centre on poromboke land, which is an abandoned Government land. There are many such lands in the neighbourhood. Using such spaces, especially in underprivileged areas, is essential for marginalised communities,” he says.The idea of poromboke, or commons, will take centrestage at Porombokkiyal 2026, on September 19, presented by Chennai Kalai Thiru Vizha. The day-long programme will feature four sessions exploring the many forms of commons, from roads and public spaces to music and the Internet, and the ways in which communities create, share and care for them.The session, Commons of Care, hosted by wetland researcher and campaigner Prashant Jack, will explore collective action, reciprocity and the relationships of care that sustain communities. “The meaning of the word poromboke is commons. No individual can claim ownership over it,” says Prashant. “Over the decades, however, the word came to be associated with wasteland and acquired a negative connotation. We want to revisit its original meaning.”While previous editions of Porombokkiyal focussed on rural areas, this year turns its attention to urban spaces. “Often we think commons are restricted to rural spaces. But this year, by discussing commons in urban areas, we encourage people to recognise that they exist all around them — in roads, beaches,and other shared spaces that shape everyday life,” says Monali Bala, musician and organiser of Porombokkiyal.The discussion titled Many lives of a Road will bring together speakers whose experiences are closely tied to these spaces. Among them is Mullai, who sells fish on Marina Beach Loop Road; Mohana Sundari, an auto driver who navigates the city’s roads every day; and Dr Aiswarya Rao, who uses a wheelchair and will speak about accessibility in public spaces. Another speaker, Yuvan Aves, Nature educator of Palluyir Trust, expands the conversation further by asking whether trees, animals and other non-human beings also have a stake in the commons.At its core, Porombokkiyal is built on the belief that knowledge does not belong only to institutions or degree holders. Fisherfolk, forest dwellers and local communities possess generations of knowledge that often remain overlooked.Just as degree holders and researchers are considered experts in their respective fields, generational knowledge passed down through generations makes people knowledgeable about their own fields of expertise, says Monali.The discussion, Sharing Fairly — Music, Internet & the Ethics of the Commons, will be moderated by TM Krishna, singer and an organiser. It will explore the Internet as a form of commons and examine questions of ownership, access and ethics in the digital age.“The Internet is supposed to be a democratic space, but it doesn’t function so,” says Krishna. “Right now, everyone is recording and hosting content. What about the ethics of the Internet? That’s where questions of copyright and intellectual property come in. These are all complex questions.”As Porombokkiyal heads into its fourth edition, Krishna hopes the conversations will encourage people to think more deeply about the commons and their own role within it. “After every conference, I believe people go back with a greater understanding of things that are often taken for granted. I hope it influences the way they think about their actions in society and also lead to greater respect for different kinds of knowledge.”Porombokkiyal 2026 is on September 19, 10am onwards at Trace the Space, Mylapore. Entry is free.