Dhaka Flow: A community coming together for healthy living
Dhaka Flow was held on Friday, 13 January, at Gulshan Lake Park
We often take out health for granted but just ignoring it does not make health complications that plague generations simply go away.
On Friday, 13 January, at Gulshan Lake Park, Dhaka Flow decided to remind people to take care of themselves. The event was organised by Shazia Omar, a yoga expert who has been practising the craft for over 20 years, co-hosted with Gulshan Society and managed by Interspeed. The intention behind the endeavour was to promote the wellness of the body and soul.
The event lasted from 11am to 5pm, and throughout the day, various fitness experts conducted interactive sessions – Nazfitstudio conducted a session on cardio, Minhaz Remo conducted a HIIT session (high intensity interval training), a singing circle was led by Armeen Musa, etc. Everything the visitors needed to be a part of the activities was a mat and to show up.
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The event began with Omar, and her fellow instructors, on a mat, as she demonstrated yoga in its many forms.
As a visitor I had primarily entered the venue with full confidence that I had a good understanding of both mental and physical health, especially with the thought that I knew my body best. However, it did not take me long to be humbled, as Omar elaborated on what it meant to be truly healthy.
"For us to live the healthy lifestyle we want, it's not just about yoga and movement. There are so many elements that come into play. We want clean air, we want clean water, we want our earth to be clean. We want honesty in our community, we want compassion, we want to see collaboration rather than competition," said Omar. "It's not a journey that one can make on their own to be healthy, it's really a movement that has to take place within a community."
Dhaka Flow was a true representation of a community coming together to uplift healthy living. What opened my eyes was the sense of community among the visitors. Sitting around the amphitheatre, the single intention of pursuing a healthier life, united a space full of strangers of all ages. So, when everyone closed their eyes in meditation during the opening ceremony, it felt like a space of peace where negativity could not reach.
In line with the event's serene and healthy outlook, the vendors were all environmentally conscious – such as Shanchayita, Wellness Cafe, Aarong Earth, etc. The food available was primarily vegetarian, but they were good enough to keep you coming back for more.
"We made the decision to include only eco-friendly products at the event and it came with many challenges along the way. All our vendors were surprised. They are not used to it in Bangladesh. But if more events have similar requirements, this will soon become the norm," said Omar.
Health and well-being are not complete without a sound mind, and Dhaka Flow left no stone unturned to address that as well. One of the stalls at the event, Intuit, offered tarot and astrology readings. Sceptic or not, attendants lined up for a session with the fortune tellers. However, it was not just a simple reading, it resembled more of a therapy session. They listened to the person's problems, picked a card, and interpreted it according to their situation.
Through Dhaka Flow, I successfully saw Shazia Omar's vision of good health come to life for one day; a community working together to hit pause on life's relentlessness and embracing honesty, cleanliness, and compassion.
