An Indian woman’s decision to leave behind her life in Dubai and spend 30 days at an ashram in Rishikesh has gone viral on social media. In an Instagram post, Divya Bhathela shared why she chose to step away from the life she had built in Dubai and spend a month living, learning and unlearning in Rishikesh. For many, Dubai represents the kind of life people spend years dreaming about, a fast-paced city, professional opportunities, modern comforts and a lifestyle that comes with its own glamour. For Bhathela, however, the life she had built there eventually left her searching for something different. Instead of chasing more, she decided to pause.
From Dubai to a simple room in Rishikesh
Bhathela packed her bags, took a one-way flight to India and travelled to Dehradun before making her way to Rishikesh. There, she moved into a modest ashram room for 30 days.The contrast could hardly have been greater. The city she had left behind was known for its skyscrapers, restaurants and relentless pace. Her new surroundings revolved around meditation, learning and a much simpler daily routine.But according to Bhathela, the decision was not an overnight rejection of her life in Dubai. Meditation had already begun changing the way she looked at herself and her life. After experiencing what she described as a profound personal transformation, she began thinking about whether she could help other people experience something similar. That eventually led her towards training as a certified meditation coach.
Why she chose Rishikesh
Rishikesh has for decades attracted people from across the world seeking yoga, meditation and spiritual learning. Situated on the banks of the Ganga at the foothills of the Himalayas, the city has become synonymous with India’s yoga and wellness culture. For Bhathela, the decision to come here was about more than simply escaping the city.Her stay was meant to give her the space to learn, reflect and understand what she wanted from the next chapter of her life. “I thought, what if I could teach others to do it too?” she said while explaining how meditation had influenced her decision.Her Instagram video documented the journey, from leaving Dubai to arriving in India and settling into her ashram room. The post soon attracted widespread attention, with viewers responding to the dramatic contrast between her previous lifestyle and her new surroundings.
A different definition of success
What made the story resonate was perhaps not Dubai or Rishikesh themselves, but the question behind the move. A life that appears enviable from the outside does not necessarily feel fulfilling to the person living it.Bhathela’s story is therefore less about permanently abandoning one world for another and more about deliberately pressing pause. For 30 days, she chose an environment where she could slow down, meditate and prepare for what she hoped would become her next chapter. And in a world where success is often measured by how much we have, her decision raises a quieter question: what if sometimes success is simply knowing when you need to stop and look inward?
