One summer afternoon, during my initial fieldwork in an informal settlement on Kolkata's eastern metropolitan frontier, a middle-aged day laborer recounted the trajectory through which he migrated, secured work, and gradually established a place for himself in the city. I lost everything in Cyclone Aila (2009)—my house, my small plot of land, even my boat [amar ja chhilo Aila te sob chole gelo, ghor bari, jomi jiret sob]. After that I came to Kolkata and stayed with my distant relatives.
