मैकल की पहाड़ियों से निकलकर बहती माँ नर्मदा के तट पर बसा है मंडला—चौबीस घाटों का एक पावन कुनबा। इस जीवंत कथा में स्वयं 'रपटा घाट' सूत्रधार बनकर अतीत और वर्तमान के ताने-बाने को बुनता है। वह देखता है बैगा समुदाय के महतो को, घटते जंगलों को, और बदलते बाज़ारों को। महात्मा गांधी के नारों की गूँज से लेकर राजाओं के खंडहर होते किलों, सिमटती परंपराओं और आधुनिकता की होड़ तक—नदी के शांत जल में इतिहास, स्मृतियाँ और मानवीय पीड़ा सब एक साथ बहती हैं।

Told through the voice of the abandoned Bharat Fan Factory in Behala, Kolkata, this reflective piece explores memory, urban change, and quiet resilience. Once a thrumming industrial engine that set the daily rhythm for a post-partition community, the factory now stands as a weathered, vine-draped ruin along Raja Rammohan Roy Road.

Why India’s smaller cities need accessible administrative archives to preserve civic history, strengthen accountability and support better governance.

तिलहर को एक लाल बिजली के खंभे की नज़र से देखिए, एक ऐसा खंभा जो तीस साल से एक ही तिराहे पर खड़ा है और इस कस्बे को बदलते हुए देखता आया है। उसके सामने बरगद और मजार गायब हो गए, मैदानों की जगह दीवारें खड़ी हो गईं, पुरानी लाइब्रेरी और टॉकीज़ बंद हो गईं। फिर भी कुछ चीज़ें बची हैं, पीरगाह तालाब, पुरानी मीनारें, बरूले की खुशबू और वे लोग, जो दूर चले जाने के बाद भी लौटते रहते हैं। एक लड़का जब अपने कस्बे में लौटता है, तो उसके साथ लौटती हैं वे जगहें जो अब वहाँ नहीं हैं। यह तिलहर की उन्ह

At the heart of Kalimpong stands a 124-year-old chautara that has quietly witnessed the town change around it. From monsoon songs and steaming momos to political upheaval, disappearing shops, and young people leaving in search of a future, it has seen generations come and go. Through the memories of the people who return to it, the chautara tells a story about a town caught between what it was and what it is becoming and asks what it really means for a place to endure.

Why is information about smaller Indian cities so difficult to find? We look beyond Wikipedia to trace where information exists, where it falls short, and what this reveals about the public record.

Why is information about smaller Indian cities so difficult to find? We look beyond Wikipedia to trace where information exists, where it falls short, and what this reveals about the public record.

A preview of the information gaps of Wikipedia pages of important smaller Indian cities. What is present and what is missing on these pages and how can we build the knowledge infrastructure.

An open glossary of words related to nature and climate from small places. The initiative is part of Nagarpedia, our effort to build common-access knowledge repositories for and from India's smaller cities and towns.

What if resolving a civic complaint were a clear, guaranteed process rather than a daily struggle?

When you hear "gig economy," you likely picture food delivery partners, ride-hailing drivers, or Urban Company professionals. You aren't wrong, but you are only seeing the visible tip of a massive economic iceberg. Beyond the branded helmets and traffic jams lies a vast, unseen workforce. In this article, we look past the streets and behind the screens to uncover the full spectrum of India's gig landscape, revealing a quiet truth: how the promise of freedom and flexibility"ha

India’s urban growth is stifled by a systemic fiscal paradox: while cities drive the economy, municipal finances have stagnated at 1% of GDP for decades. This financial condition is doubled by a lack of agency within Urban Local Bodies, which remain tethered to state and central capitals, stripped of the power to tap into productive revenue streams like GST. Reclaiming our cities requires moving beyond passive governance toward active citizen participation in financial planni

From ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ on screen to millions sweating it out on the streets, India has caught the marathon fever! The craze has officially sprinted past the metros, with small cities now hosting full and ultra marathons. But as the 'running economy' booms, one vital question remains: are we merely clearing roads for a single Sunday, or actually designing safer streets for the everyday runner?

In India’s small and mid-sized cities, roads are the most visible face of governance and the most overlooked. This blog reframes roads not as technical projects measured in kilometres and budgets, but as lived infrastructure that shapes daily life, safety, access, and livelihoods. Drawing on insights from Nāgrika Fellow Candidates and reporting from cities across India, it explores the disconnect between how roads are planned and how citizens actually experience them.

Why Animal Welfare Depends on Citizen Engagement and Adoption?

India’s smaller cities are witnessing a rapid transition in both physical and social infrastructure. While government agencies try to catch up with this transition, there is a growing power of citizens in the smaller cities that is helping balance this transition. Citizens, neighbourhood groups, and local organisations are constantly engaging with the city to redefine the way governance is practised. We saw this in action during Nāgrika’s “Power of Small Cities 2025” roundta

भारत के छोटे शहर इन दिनों तेज़ी से बदल रहे हैं, चाहे बात सड़कों और इमारतों की हो या फिर सामाजिक सुविधाओं की। सरकारें इस बदलाव के साथ तालमेल बिठाने की कोशिश कर रही हैं, उसी के साथ लोगों की इन बदलावों में भागीदारी इस पूरे बदलाव को संतुलित कर रही है। मोहल्लों के ग्रुप, स्थानीय संगठन और खुद नागरिक अपने शहर के काम-काज में ज़्यादा जुड़ रहे हैं और यह तय करने में मदद कर रहे हैं कि शहर चलना कैसे चाहिए।

This essay reflects on Nagpur not just as a city, but as a repository of memory, longing, and belonging. Through streets, markets, and quiet-dusty corners, the author weaves observation and emotion, revealing how personal life stories shape our perspectie of the city. With a subtle gendered lens and her brother’s perspective, it reflects on how diffferently we inhabit, remember, and call a city home. Using an engaging narrative style, the author paints a realistic imagery of