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Two photographers, Aparna Jayakumar from Mumbai and Malini Kochupillai from Delhi have used their cameras to provide an insight into the nature of the urban village in their cities and have showcased it in Red Earth's calendar for 2013. Set up in 2004 by arts curator Himanshu Verma, Red Earth is an independent arts organisation engaged with diverse forms of cultural expression — from Indian contemporary art with a strong focus on painting, supporting work of emerging artists who negotiate multiple, formal spaces to design to engaging in performing arts, educational programmes, and experiential tourism. "In the process we devise eclectic festivals, exhibitions, projects and events," says Verma.

In the Red Earth calendar for 2013, the urban-village in India can be seen through many viewpoints of architecture. This calendar depicts how different the nature of the urban village is between the two cities. For example, while Delhi's urban villages have quickly become hot spots for cool and trendy bars and designer markets, Mumbai's urban villages, even despite the acute shortage of land remain closely guarded, still retaining their old world character and largely owned by custodians of the community. Kochupillai, who has been wandering in urban villages presents intimate stories drawn from experience and presents images from Khirki village, an incredibly chaotic part of the city with barely any space for wind to pass through buildings, nestled in the locality in the neighbourhood of Saket and Malviya Nagar, just across some of India's biggest malls.

Jayakumar has also been fascinated with the richness of her city and for this calendar, Jayakumar presents vignettes from life in three of Mumbai's urban villages. Worli, one of Mumbai's oldest fishing villages becomes her muse. The slow paced village of quaint streets is a remarkable glimpse into a village like life in the heart of the city. Her journey also takes her to Kumbharwada, a potter's colony in Dharavi, one of Mumbai's largest slums. This settlement of Gujarati artisans churns out massive production, as one can imagine from the kilns blowing smoke through the day. Khotachiwadi, a heritage village featuring some old Portuguese style residential architecture has also found place in this calendar.

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