Online Desk: The pioneering wellness platform Dhaka Flow, in collaboration with Baridhara Society, hosted a transformative two-day festival of yoga and wellness at the scenic Baridhara Society Park last weekend. The festival – titled “Inspire Her Wellness” – designed to honour Women’s Day, offered attendees a holistic experience centred on movement, mindfulness, health, nature, and community, free of charge.

The event showcased a rich tapestry of activities, attracting over 10,000 wellness enthusiasts and experts alike, converging to explore and exchange knowledge on health, well-being, climate change, and the empowerment of women entrepreneurs, according to a media release.

Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor, Atiqul Islam, set a positive tone for the festival’s second day, emphasising the significance of utilising community parks for wellness initiatives. Chief Guest and State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid later highlighted the crucial role of healthy living, urging the youth to adopt lifestyle tips from Dhaka Flow’s extensive offerings.

Shazia Omar, co-founder of Dhaka Flow and a celebrated yogini, shared her insights on holistic wellness, “Being holistically well offers us a different kind of freedom. It not only improves our quality of life and longevity, but also gives us the ability to stay grounded in the present moment, free from the prison of past regrets, future worries, illness, disease and negative thoughts.”

On Friday, the festival featured a Gratitude Tree Planting session with Shakti Foundation’s Labiba Rahman, and Baridhara Society President, Feroz Hassan. Another session was on Money Matters, powered by Brac Bank Tara, where moderator Shahirah Majumdar asked Zareen Karim, MD of Orion Group; Dilruba Chowdhury, Director of East Coast Group; Mehruba Reza, SVP of Brac Bank TARA; and Shamima Akhtar, Director at Unilever, about how to achieve financial freedom. Later Ghaashphoring Choir, led by Emmy-nominee Armeen Musa, saw hundreds of people in a circle, singing Rabindra Sangeet under a canopy of trees.

The art zone featured Gallery Cosmos, highlighting carefully curated 20 women artists and ‘Art Therapy through Printmaking’ by renowned artist Rokeya Sultana. The festival also featured a Sufi whirling class and a journaling session with Dhaka Flow’s ‘Flow Within’ journal featuring poetry by Jalaluddin Rumi. The meditation garden featured day-long mindfulness sessions as well as support group sessions on topics such as coping with chronic pain, cancer, depression, grief and addiction, thriving with children on the spectrum, and much more, in the hope that rather than suffering in isolation people can come together to be stronger as a community.

The festival contained a mela of 75 vendors, all of whom were women-owned businesses. The festival prioritised an environmentally-conscious approach, with no plastic waste, nourishing vegetarian foods, and free activities for all. It was sponsored by leading private sector organisations, to promote healthy living in the community: Brac Bank TARA, Suzuki Motorbikes, Turaag Active, BTi, and Ispahani Blender’s Choice Premium Tea.

Dhaka Flow is committed to a mission of wellness for all. For more information on holistic wellbeing and to register for classes or retreats with Dhaka Flow, please visit www.dhakaflow.com, and follow the social media @dhakaflowofficial.