The rural-urban migration narrative, which is often used to explain the demographic explosion of Indian "megacities" and second -tier cities in the past decades, has obfuscated another important story that of regular, long-distance commuters who never sever ties with their villages, keeping active relationships with family and community. They go back often for personal reasons , to perform religious rituals , or to attend weddings. They are often investors in their villages, contributing to the agricultural modernization or urbanization of their habitats.