Conceptualizing Mumbai simply as a “megacity” or, as the United Nations calls it, a “large urban agglomeration,” is inadequate. Rather, it is a hub in a larger urban system. Seeing Mumbai from the point of view of the entire Konkan region (the Arabian Sea coast along the states of Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Goa, in western India) helps us understand how Mumbai’s realm stretches all the way to small towns and villages, and how important the city’s connections with those places are for Mumbai. Communication and transportation systems are making it easier than ever for people to “belong” to several places at once. A person can be rooted in his or her village of origin without sacrificing the social mobility offered by larger city centers. Nowadays, even those migrants who end up staying in the city usually maintain strong connections with their hometowns. The connection between rural and urban in India is reflected in the Konkan story. While it cannot be denied that the development of infrastructure such as railways contributed to the urbanization of villages and towns, this urbanization was largely triggered by the impulses of the villagers themselves. As villages and towns urbanized, they also preserved their relevance to local populations, in part because they allow a lifestyle that is out of reach in the city. Circulation between the city and the village gives people access to big-city opportunities while preserving their sense of home, their identity, and their prospects back in the village. This has allowed villages to remain relevant in the age of the “megacity.”