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Doctor says ‘I left Mumbai for a small town’, explains why she moved despite loving the city
The doctor’s post about what happened after she decided to trade Mumbai life for a small-town job has struck a chord with many social media users.
A doctor’s viral post detailing why she abandoned her hectic life in Mumbai for a small-town medical practice has struck a chord online. Swapping cramped, expensive housing and exhausting daily train commutes for a free flat and hospital-provided travel, she highlighted how prioritising personal peace over big-city hustle transformed her life.
“As someone who absolutely loves Mumbai, leaving it was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made. It’s my home. My family is there, and a part of my heart always will be too,” Dr Garima Chauhan wrote in an Instagram post.
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She continued, “But six months later, I finally understand why I made that choice. Sometimes, success isn’t about living in the biggest city. Sometimes, it’s about choosing a life that gives you peace, time, and balance.”
Advising others, she posted, “Choose the life you want, not the one everyone expects.”
In a video, the doctor shared a text insert that reads, “Why did I leave Mumbai as a first generation doctor for a small town?”
As the video progresses, she says that people often ask her why she left the big city to relocate to a small village. She explains that she just returned from her workplace in a car provided by the hospital where she works. The doctor notes that in an emergency, the hospital vehicle is always dispatched to pick her up. She then contrasts this with her old commute routine in Mumbai, recalling how she had to wake up early just to board an overcrowded train and stand for the entire journey. To make matters worse, any unexpected delay resulted in a salary deduction at her former job.
She points out that this exhausting daily grind was the primary reason she decided to leave Mumbai. She remembered living there with her husband in a cramped, matchbox-sized rented apartment that cost them ₹30,000 a month. In stark contrast, her new role provides a spacious 2 BHK apartment featuring two balconies, entirely free of charge.
(Hindustantimes.com has reached out to Dr Garima Chauhan. This report will be updated when she responds.)
How did social media react?
An individual commented, "Priority should be peace first.” Another expressed, “The only reason I came back to Nagpur. Of course, it is my hometown, but Mumbai felt like home. Mumbai is lovely, but the pace is crazy, the money is less, and the work-life balance is nonexistent. But I never know, someday I may just decide I want to go back.”
A third posted, “Small places are much better if there is no electricity or water problem!” A fourth Instagram user wrote, “Whoever has lived in Mumbai can totally correlate!! The pain of living in and leaving Mumbai, at the same time!”
Dr Garima Chauhan’s Instagram bio reads, “Once dreamt of being a heroine, became a doctor instead.” She is an anesthesiologist who also has her own YouTube channel.
