I published a short essay from PhD dissertation in Ala: A Kerala Studies Blog. Many thanks to Shilpa Menon and the Editors of Ala for thoughtful comments and feedback that have significantly improved this essay. Read the full essay here, https://alablog.in/issues/68/gulf-houses-to-nri-flats/

As you exit the “world’s first green airport” in Nedumbassery on the outskirts of Kochi, your eyes are drawn to a series of multi-colored billboards along the major highway. Many of these larger-than-life neon-lit hoardings advertise luxury condominiums, exclusive gated communities, and spacious “flats” in the city. Extravagant phrases, like “premium”, “new luxury”, “spectacular”, “next-level”, and “world-class” immediately catch one’s attention. These phrases are accompanied by glitzy images of roof-top infinity pools, waterfront balconies, fitness clubs, mini-theaters, French windows, Italian marble floors, and US-style bathroom fittings. Similar scenes can be witnessed in other rapidly developing cities of Kerala, like Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, and Thrissur,¹ as well as those in other parts of India. But what do these billboards tell us specifically about the state’s changing built environment, political economy, and urban social life?