The Purumbok Song, a Karnatic music-based environmental protest performed by TM Krishna, raises awareness about the degradation of urban commons like Chennai's Enor Creek and Palarani marsh. It critiques encroachment, pollution, and privatization of wetlands, emphasizing the need for community stewardship and public accountability to protect these vital ecological resources.
Urban commons, such as wetlands and common property resources, play a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance and supporting livelihoods. However, rapid urbanization and industrial expansion have led to their degradation. The Purumbok Song, a Karnatic music-based environmental protest, brings this issue to the forefront through art and activism.
In 2017, the Purumbok Song emerged as a powerful environmental protest in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Performed by the renowned vocalist and Sangeeta Kalanidhi TM Krishna, the song is based on Karnatic music and was composed by environmental activist Nityanandan Jaman. It aims to raise awareness about the degradation of urban wetlands and common property resources in Chennai.
The song critiques the encroachment, pollution, and privatization of urban commons, focusing on vital wetland systems such as the Enor Creek in North Chennai.
Chennai's coastal wetlands, including Enor Creek and the Palarani marsh, are essential common property resources. They serve as ecological buffers, flood mitigators, and provide livelihoods for fisherfolk and marginalized communities.
Located in North Chennai, Enor Creek was once a vibrant tidal wetland supporting diverse fish species and rich biodiversity. However, over the last two decades, it has suffered widespread degradation due to:
Thermal power plants, ports, and fly ash dumps have encroached upon the creek, blocking water flow, increasing pollution, and destroying fishing grounds. Despite being categorized as Purumbok land — non-transferable common land meant for public use — much of the creek has been illegally filled or converted.
The Palarani marsh, one of the last remaining freshwater marshlands in Chennai, historically spanned over 50 square kilometers. It was a rich ecological zone and acted as a flood sink for the city. However, it has been dramatically reduced due to:
Currently, the marsh is fragmented by roads and drains, severely impacting its ecosystem.
TM Krishna, known for breaking traditional boundaries in Karnatic music, performs the Purumbok Song in classical raagas. The song blends traditional South Indian music with a strong environmental message.
The accompanying video was shot in Enor Creek, showcasing degraded wetlands, power plants, and oil spills to highlight environmental degradation. The visuals underscore the failure of urban planning and governance in protecting urban commons.
Although these wetlands are officially recognized as ecological assets, they are often treated as wastelands ripe for exploitation. The marginalization of local communities and neglect of traditional stewardship systems have accelerated their decline.
The term "Purumbok" in Tamil originally referred to land that is not privately owned — land held in commons for public use, such as water bodies, grazing fields, temple tanks, and cremation grounds.
Over time, however, the word became a derogatory slang used to describe something worthless or useless. The Purumbok Song aims to reclaim the dignity of the term and highlight the critical ecological importance of these lands, especially in the context of Chennai's water crisis and coastal degradation.
The song serves as a poetic and musical tribute to common property resources. It highlights several key issues:
A key line in the song emphasizes that commons are collectively owned and must be protected for future generations: "This land is not your father's property."
The Purumbok Song is both a cultural intervention and a political statement, using art to reframe public discourse around commons ecology and accountability. It resonates with themes from Elinor Ostrom's work on common pool resources, pointing to the dangers of elite capture and the loss of traditional collective governance.
While the song focuses on Chennai, similar patterns of urban commons degradation can be observed in other cities. For example, Bengaluru's dying lakes face comparable threats from urbanization and neglect.
The Purumbok Song encourages communities to recognize the value of their shared ecological resources and to advocate for their protection through collective stewardship and accountable governance.
The Purumbok Song by TM Krishna is a compelling blend of art and activism that sheds light on the degradation of urban commons in Chennai. It calls for a renewed respect for common property resources and urges communities and authorities alike to take responsibility for preserving these vital ecosystems for future generations.
By reclaiming the term "Purumbok" and highlighting the ecological and social importance of these lands, the song inspires a movement towards sustainable urban environmental governance and community empowerment.
