Under Sharad Purnima moon, global music and desert traditions merged beautifully.
The 18th Jodhpur RIFF at Mehrangarh Fort showcased global and Indian folk music through performances, workshops, and collaborations. (Image: File)
Under the radiant Sharad Purnima moon, the 18th edition of the Jodhpur RIFF unfolded across the majestic courtyards of Mehrangarh Fort, offering five days of rare collaborations, timeless traditions and unexpected encounters between cultures. From dawn bhajans echoing Kabir’s verses to Creole dance workshops and shamanic sounds from Central Asia, the festival reaffirmed its role as one of India’s most innovative platforms for root music and global dialogue.
Festival Director Divya Bhatia explained the festival’s spirit: “More than looking for connections, I look for what resonates. When you listen to music from Central Asia and then from Bhutan, suddenly the instruments, the similarities and the differences begin to make sense.”
On 5th October, Jaswant Thada’s marble pavilion opened its doors at dawn to mystical soundscapes from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Kobyz virtuoso Layla Tazhibayeva evoked the shamanic, spiritual dimension of Central Asian music, shifting seamlessly between the instrument’s meditative stillness and its modern electric power. Uzbek singer Gulzoda Khudoynazarova, accompanied by Doyra, Dutar and Gijjak, infused the centuries-old Shashmaqam with fresh vitality.
The mood shifted with Canadian folk singer-activist Luke Wallace, whose climate-conscious songs resonated deeply in the glow of the Jodhpur sunrise. Later that morning, Reunion Island artist Davy Sicard led an exuberant Sega and Maloya dance bootcamp, showing how rhythm and movement embody social reflection. Audiences then turned to In Residence II, an intimate learning space where Central Asian artists shared the history, complexity and innovations of their traditions.
As evening fell, Santoor maestro Satish Vyas, joined by Paras Nath and Mukund Deo, presented a shimmering recital of Hindustani classical music. The Insights Concert at Zenana Courtyard transformed into a global village, moving from the thunderous nagadas of Nathulal Solanki to the delicate Rajwadi Maand vocals of Anita and Prem Dangi, joined by their mother Ratani Devi in her first-ever public performance. Neapolitan quartet Suonno D’Ajere brought a Mediterranean breeze, Syrian-Swiss saxophonist Basel Rajoub merged Arabic maqam with jazz, while the neo-Rajasthani trio SAZ created a magnetic symphony. Nicotine Swing closed the set with Gypsy jazz and swing from Tenerife, sending the audience into rhythmic delight.
At midnight, the legendary RIFF Rustle stormed the fort with 36 artists from seven countries jamming across genres and continents, driven by Colombian DJ Killabeatmaker and saxophonist Rhys Sebastian, ending in euphoric chants of “Encore!” One of the most remarkable additions this year was Karolina Cicha & Company from Poland. Their performance, featuring Karolina Cicha (vocals, accordion), Patrycja Betley (ethnic percussion), Mateusz Szemraj (ethnic strings) and Andrzej Kijanowski (sound direction), transported listeners into a soundscape where Slavic roots met contemporary experimentation. With their unique musical language, the ensemble captivated audiences and added a fresh European voice to RIFF’s ever-expanding global tapestry.
The festival concluded on 6th October with a soul-soothing dawn at Jaswant Thada. Dayaram ji’s nirguni bhajans and Sumitra Das Goswami’s transcendent voice filled the fort with echoes of Kabir, Meera and Baba Ramdev, carrying forward the timeless spirit of the desert. Reflecting on RIFF’s journey, Bhatia observed: “We have been torchbearers of a certain kind, but also one of the pillars of a new ecosystem. The festival is not the purpose—it is a mechanism. Our profit is recognition and work for the artists.”
In a landscape where festivals often chase commercial trends, Jodhpur RIFF remains rooted yet adventurous, ensuring that folk artists stand shoulder-to-shoulder with international innovators. Bhatia summed up the ethos with a thought on growth: “The definition of success is what comes next. Once you take the step, the question is always—what comes next?”
And so, as dawn gave way to dawn at Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur RIFF 2025 reminded its audiences that the truest traditions are those that keep evolving—carrying seeds across deserts, continents and centuries, resonating anew in every ear that listens.
