An Ahmedabad-based founder recently shared a LinkedIn post explaining why she maintains a home in Goa even though she rarely stays there. While her family suggests a hotel would be more practical, she argues that the independence of having her own space is worth the cost. She highlights how having a home in one’s own name provides a sense of stability and mental peace that financial metrics cannot measure.
“It’s been 7 years since I made Goa my home. Financially, it makes no sense. I spend most of my time in Ahmedabad with my parents and office. The rest, I’m travelling for work. Goa? Some months I’m there for 5 days,” wrote founder Shruti H Chaturvedii.
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She recalled that her father said, “5 din hi rehna hai toh hotel mein reh lena,” and she agrees he isn’t wrong. “If you are ROImaxing, you would tell me the same. And it wouldn’t change my decision one bit.”
However, in her LinkedIn post, she explained the reason behind her decision to have a house in Goa. “Because those 5 days? Everything is exactly how I want it. My kitchen. My dishes. My choice of bedsheets. No one else’s schedule. No opinions on when should I sleep. And very importantly- no one telling you when to turn off the damn lights.”
She continued, “And it’s hard to explain what that does to you. Something shifts when you have a space that is fully yours. Not your parents’ house. Not your partner’s house. A place where the documents have your name on it.”
In the following lines, she explained, “Every woman I know who has this carries herself differently. Not arrogance. Stability. Whole lot of courage. The kind that comes from knowing that whatever happens – job goes, relationship goes, family drama peaks – you have somewhere to go. A door you can close that nobody else has the key to.”
In her post, she highlighted the cultural and systemic hurdles that Indian women often face in achieving housing autonomy. The founder argued that for a woman over 30, owning or renting a home independently is more than a financial milestone.
She said it is a “fight” against societal suspicion and family gatekeeping. By pointing out that the basic necessity of shelter (makaan) is rarely in a woman’s own name, she called for women to prioritise independent living as a crucial step toward true empowerment.
“I know this isn’t easy or even possible immediately for everyone. But we can try. Fight. Strive towards? Even if it’s just for 5 days. Because those 5 days will do more for your mental health than any wellness retreat ever will. Because the peace of having your own address is not a luxury – it is infrastructure,” Chaturvedii added.
What did social media say?
An individual expressed, “A space of your own does something money calculations cannot explain. Sometimes independence isn’t about ROI; it’s about dignity. But I have a question, just for 5 days/month, managing house, groceries, cleanliness, and whatnot we need at home. Is it really worth it? Not the home cost but the time and effort managing the home.” Chaturvedii responded, “Yes, I love doing it. 5 days is avg, sometimes I am here 2-3 weeks at stretch. Groceries, utilities are always full – or there’s quick commerce if I run short of anything. I have a cat at Goa home too, so cleaning, feeding him requires a house help for entire month. Everything is worth it.”
Another commented, “From what I’ve seen, having your own space changes how you think, decide, and show up. It’s not ROI… It’s independence, identity, and quiet confidence.” A third posted, “This hit somewhere I wasn’t expecting. I’ve been living with this exact need but couldn’t justify it to myself, let alone to the people at the dinner table. After marriage, everyone wants to build things together with their partner, and that’s beautiful. But wanting a space of your own honestly needs to be talked about more. Thank you for legitimising it and starting this conversation.”
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A fourth wrote, “You have voiced my thoughts exactly. I’m angling for a home of my own, too. Reminds me of Virginia Woolf’s ‘A Room of One’s Own’ – a work of writing from 1929. Almost 100 years later, we are still trying to explain the importance of a personal space for women.”
Shruti H Chaturvedii founded her company, Chaaipani, in 2015 and another startup, India Action Project, in 2023.