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The programme began with a short marathon, followed by yoga and a walkathon in which participants walked freely around the space.
An evening of colouring mandalas, listening without judgement, practising yoga and experiencing sound healing brought together visitors at a festival organised by the Kripa Foundation and Mooskan, a mental health and wellbeing organisation, to engage with different aspects of mental health
Held on the first floor of Mount Carmel Church, the programme, titled ‘Mental Health Fest: Come As You Are’, featured activities centred on emotional expression, relaxation and conversations around mental wellbeing. Stalls lined the venue, leaving a circular space at the centre where participants gathered for group activities
The programme began with a short marathon, followed by yoga and a walkathon in which participants walked freely around the space
The festival featured a range of activities, including animal-assisted therapy with dogs, neurotherapy and sound healing, wellness practice that uses specific tones
A mental health festival in Mumbai is taking wellbeing beyond traditional clinical settings
“For the first time, we are organising a dedicated mental health awareness programme because we believe the world needs it more than ever,” said Hariman Dhanjal, head of public relations, technology and marketing at the Kripa Foundation, a non-profit organisation that has worked in addiction recovery, elderly care and children’s education for the last 45 years
Dhanjal said the foundation had included music and art therapy, sound healing and fitness activities in an effort to encourage conversations about emotional wellbeing and address stigma around mental health
At a stall run by counselling psychologist Swati Shah, visitors picked mandala designs and filled them with colour. Children, adults and senior citizens sat with sheets and colouring materials, spending time on the activity in a quieter corner of the venue
Shah said the colours people chose could offer clues to their emotional states
Visitor Jyoti Shah, who was colouring at the stall, said the activity had brought back something she felt she had left behind
“I forgot to colour after I got married, and it feels good to use colours. I feel light and happy,” she said
At the “Hear Me Out” stall, small enclosed cabins provided privacy for visitors who wanted to talk about their concerns. Neuroaffirmative therapist Suhasini S listened to participants and offered suggestions, giving them an opportunity to speak about issues on their minds
Sound healing practitioner Jyothika Goradia conducted sessions using gongs and singing bowls, while another stall invited visitors to engage their senses through activities such as receiving a head massage
The latter, called Aaram Corner and set up by Laaslya Mangalampalli, also featured a small resting tent decorated with lights and cushions, where visitors could sit away from the activity around them
Mooskan Shah, founder of Mooskan Health and Wellbeing, said the festival was an attempt to bring mental health conversations into community spaces and make them more accessible to people outside conventional support settings
“Mental health should not be confined to closed doors. Nature has a healing strength, and we want to approach mental wellbeing in a fun and creative way,” she said
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
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