About the Book: Sheher Mein Gaon: Culture, Conflict and Change in the Urban Villages of Delhi by Ekta Chauhan delves into the complex transformation of Delhi’s urban villages—spaces where ancient traditions intersect with modern developments like pop-up cafés and start-ups. Emerging from state-led land acquisitions in the early 20th century, these villages have evolved into hybrid zones that are part city, part village, part memory, and part reinvention. Chauhan explores how residents navigate this transformation, examining themes of identity, belonging, and power. Through stories of place and community, the book uncovers the deeper tensions of modern urban life, highlighting the interplay between tradition and progress, belonging and exclusion, history and ambition