Holding on to the roots

Dena village, on the fringes of Vadodara city has been taken up as the commons study precinct. First the village was understood through secondary research. This village commons are primarily reliant on the village resources like hydrology, land and streets. These commons have minimal reliance with the city. The study focuses on understanding these layers and relating them to the commons associated to its social, cultural, religious, economical, ecological and historical aspects. The layers are understood and mapped with the help of ground truthing. Flooding is a major issue of the village due to the presence of rivers Vishwamitri and Surya on either side of it. The Bharwads and Rabaris are the community of cattle herders residing and making use of the pastural lands in the village fabric. During the study process, points of enquiries regarding the commons and their issues were raised which was catered in the next stage by proposing policies and strategies for the same. Through this study, it can be inferred that the village is on the verge of getting engulfed by the city. Yet the identity of the village remains intact by the commons depending on the village fabric for their survival.