Five-day Rajasthan International Folk Festival begins in Jodhpur

26 October, 2012

The annual five-day Rajasthan International Folk Festival (RIFF) seems to have paved the way for folk performing art and music tourism in the state. Both international and local performers will rub shoulders to create a musical magic for a week in Jodhpur from October 26 to 30 this year.

THIS YEAR, the sun city of Jodhpur will host 250 musicians and performing artists from across India and overseas. According to the organises of RIFF, the festival is meant to celebrate Rajasthan's traditional folk music and arts along with the fusion of international and local folk music.

Starting in 2007, the RIFF society under the aegis of Mehrangarh Museum Trust and the Jaipur Virasat Foundation has been making serious efforts to rekindle and enliven the magic of folk and fusion music every year.

On the 26th October, the Opening Night Variety City Concert was held to kick off the festival. Today, on 27th October, in the morning Bhanwari Devi and Patashi Devi performed and other events of the day being the Dusk Devotions with the Meghwal of Marwar; Living Legends-I; Main Stage Performances; and Club Mehran Performances.

The flyer of the event informs the enents for the 28th October as Dawn Fakiri with Arjun Khyapa Baul, Golam Fakir Baul, Shyam Khyapa Baul and Sanatan Das Baul; Dusk Devotions with Babunath Jogi; Living Legends-II; Main Stage Performances; and Desert Lounge.

While the events for the 29th October are going to be the Scottish dawn with Kaela Rowan; Children’s Folk Morning; Main Stage Performances; and Club Mehran–RIFF Rustle with Scottish, Sri Lankan, Rajasthani and surprise guest artists. The curtain will be drawn on the festival with the Closing Dawn Concert Sahaja Kabir, and 'suno bhai sadho' by Prahlad Tipaniya and Party on the 30th October.