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When I say Rajasthan, you probably picture large deserts, magnificent palaces, Rajasthani attire, and a royal welcome. Without a doubt, these things define Rajasthan’s essence pretty well. Yet beyond this, Rajasthan is the place where art breeds – be it through music, paintings, folk dances or other forms.
Every year, the state provides a platform for musical artists to share their art and let people connect through the medium of music. The Rajasthan International Folk Festival Held is at the majestic 17th century Mehrangarh Fort in the Blue City of Jodhpur. The festival welcomes more than 250 artists from around the world who come together to create a 5-day journey of music, magic, and art.
The purpose of this activity extends to more than just a musical concert. The festival is a humbling experience that helps you connect with yourself through traveling, meeting new people, listening to soulful music and learning to really appreciate the art. It always stimulates internal strength and mental peace as it stirs emotions of harmony, love, respect, and humanity towards everyone around you.
Timed to coincide with “Sharad Purnima” the brightest full moon of the year in north India, the dates of the Jodhpur RIFF are slightly different each year, though always fall in the month of October. This year, Jodhpur RIFF 2019 will be held from the 10th – 14th October.
So, if you are around the region during the same time, you should visit a places in Jodhpur and embark on a beautiful musical journey.
Via Air: Jodhpur has its own domestic airport that is connected to major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur and Udaipur. From the airport, you can either get a cab or an auto. The nearest international airport to Jodhpur is IG Airport in Delhi which is well connected with different cities across the globe.
Via Rail: Jodhpur railway is well connected with major cities. You can also use the luxury tourist train ‘Palace on Wheels’ to visit the place. Some popular trains that run from Jodhpur station are Chennai Jodhpur Express, Suryanagari Express, Jaisalmer Delhi Express and Rajasthan Sampark Kranti.
Via Road: Volvo coaches and Deluxe buses run between Delhi and Jodhpur throughout the day. You can also take a bus till Jaipur and take another government operated bus like the AC Goldline and Silver Line Express from there.
Firstly, to gain access to the events organised in the festival, you need to purchase a donor pass online from the official website of the Jodhpur Riff. The pass allows you entry in all the events but does not cover any cost of food and beverages. Entry for children below 12 years is free.
The cost of the donor passes is as follows:
October 11: Day Pass
Price: ₹ 5000
October 12: Day Pass
Price: ₹ 5000
October 13: Day Pass
Price: ₹ 5000
Full Festival Donor Pass
Price: ₹ 12,500
The first day of the festival is an invitation-only event for schools. On this day, Jodhpur RIFF presents a varied and wonderful morning of music, dance, storytelling and more for Jodhpur’s young ones. Rajasthani Circus, Young Langa musicians and various folk dances like Kachchi Ghodi keep the children well-entertained. During the night time, a night concert is held to mark the opening of the festival. This event has free entry and is open to everyone. Rajasthani traditional music fills the air with a beautiful vibrance and the night passes by before you can blink.
For music- lovers, this day is nothing less than one in paradise. The morning begins with the melodic drone of the tandura, the beat of the jhanjh/ manjira (small-paired cymbals) and the rhythm of the dholak. Famous saint-poets and folk-artists grace the event with their presence and leave everyone enthralled. Later on, fort festivities are held to showcase the various folk dances of Rajasthan. Be it the captivating Chang Nritya of men or the musical street theatre performances by the Bhil dancers – the energy is infectious and before long, you will find your feet tapping to the tune.
After a series of great local and international performances, Jodhpur RIFF presents a unique Desert Lounge in the Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park. The night in a moon-lit atmosphere is a raw, beautiful experience ,as you see a carpet of stars above you and let the Rajasthani acoustic performances end your day on a beautiful note.
This is the day when amongst other things, poetry makes its way to the festival. Numerous texts and poetry of the nirguni and saguni bhakti sects – such as poetry and teachings of Goraknathji, Sankarcharya, Ramananda, Guru Nanak and more recently that of Sri Aurobindo, the Radahswamis and Sadhguru are shared. The festival aims to create an inclusive space where artists, scholars and students from different genres can come together to celebrate Bhaktism and Sufism. The festival wants to promote love and harmony and dissolve all barriers of caste, class, religion and identity.
A true surprise is presented in the third dawn session at Jodhpur RIFF, by an amazing line up of Indian and international musicians that includes the likes of Valeri Tolstov,Andrew Cronshaw, Mahesh Vinayakram, Asin Langa and Darra Manganiyar. The day spans over a series of events that include fun musical experiments, a showcase of music that transcends all boundaries, traditional epic folk songs and contemporary Rajasthani poetry. The experience is overwhelming and utterly mystical.
The last day of jodhpur RIFF bids a last goodbye to this mystical musical experience through a rendezvous with the popular local artist ‘Bir Singh’ who with his heartfelt voice leaves an everlasting imprint of this once-in-a-lifetime experience in your heart. So, the next time you are visiting Rajasthan, do try to plan your trip around the same time so that you too can become a part of this ecstatic journey and come back humming new tunes!
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April 15, 2024 
