A Different Beat

The sound of music was at its best, the artistes in their element and the setting was enchanting no less—this was the Rajasthan International Folk Festival held in Jodhpur.

- Supriya Sehgal & Vaibhav Mehta

Officially sick of our well-worn playlists on iTunes, we arrived at the conclusion that finding new music from different genres is an insurmountable challenge. As teens of the ’90s, we still pay regular homage to AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and other rock legends, offer devoted ears to early and new swing bands, and turn to jazz on evenings that feature wine. Anything beyond these genres requires the rigour of vetting Google’s top suggestions, trying to make it to Indie gigs in town and inheriting music from charitable friends. A visit to Rajasthan International Folk Festival (RIFF) this year opened the doors to a Narnia-esque world of folk fusion. We are hooked!

Started in 2007, as a not-for-profit partnership between the Mehrangarh Museum Trust and Jaipur Virasat Foundation, RIFF is held over five days in October, when the moon is at its fullest and roundest best. As a stupendous patron of arts and culture, the scion of the Jodhpur royal family, His Highness Maharaja Gaj Singh, backs the festival with extraordinary support. For starters, the remarkable Mehrangarh Fort is the main venue of the festival, and the close-by Rao Jodha Park and Jaswant Thada offer a stage for the late night and morning performances, respectively. A friend of the Jodhpur royals, Sir Mick Jagger is another celebrated patron who has previously made his way to the festival. While RIFF was started as a platform to promote the rich traditional folk music of Rajasthan, over the years it has evolved to an event that attracts artistes from all over the world.

The sounds created by the fusion of international and Rajasthani instruments and singers are truly remarkable.