In an age when the alternative music industry, as well as Bollywood, is increasingly deriving its content from folk music, Rajasthani folk music continues to reappear through various mediums. Though having similar roots, its various forms within the cultural milieu of Rajasthan are different from each other. Artists who earlier were nurtured by the royal patronage now struggle for their livelihood but festivals like Jodhpur RIFF may act as a catalyst for them to continue their art. An annual festival of music, now in its tenth edition, Jodhpur RIFF continues to give them a platform to showcase their heritage as well as collaborating with many foreign artists. “Our endeavour has been to nurture as many regional artists as possible, right here in their land and facilitate respect and recognition for them across the world. Earlier people did not know names of regional artists but due to platforms like Coke Studio, they know them. Our effort is to take them to the audience to initiate conversations,” says Divya Bhatia, festival director of the Jodhpur RIFF festival. The idea is to cater the audiences from around the world, as well as celebrate each of the cultural expressions that Rajasthan possesses by giving space to different musical forms, he says.
Held at the idyllic soundscapes and the picturesque settings of Mehrangarh Fort, this remains the only festival which features over 350 Rajasthani and international musicians with an audience from around the world for its disparate selection of musical roots and styles. “For the first time we are doing a conversation with Mir-e-Alam, a semi-pastoral people of the Mirasi community of the Bikaner/Pugal region of Rajasthan who have a strong, beautiful musical tradition of spiritual music,” informs Bhatia.
One of the artists Ladu Ram Nayak (74 years old) from Nayak community (or Bhil) of Shekhawati, chose to sing and perform ballads about their folk heroes – Goga Ji and Jagdev ji (folk deity of snakes) and uses his music to heal.
Searching eternal truth
Another Jogi folk musician Babunath Jogi, one of the living legends at the festival, has denounced worldly pleasures and thinks of himself as a traveller in pursuit of the eternal truth which reminds us of the concept of ‘ramtajogi’ - a saint is always on the move with little or no material possessions. “One of the key things that we are conscious is creating the newness in the festival which can cater audience coming for first time as well as those who attend the festival each year,” says Bhatia. “On one hand interest in the folk music is rising in cities because of the media attention; the practitioners in villagers are declining because of the lesser economic opportunities. We need more such endeavours to give space to these artists.”
Besides the acoustic and traditional desert lounge from Rajasthan, Jodhpur RIFF also nurtures new talents in simultaneous events beyond the main stages . This year two ‘tapestries’ will also be curated in collaboration with The Spree Festival, Paisley. “The festival will see Paco Renteria, Mexican guitarist known for gypsy flamenco, oriental and progressive jazz beats and has performed with artists such as Carlos Santana and Luciano Pavarotti. Also, the drummers from Ghana will make the festival much different from the earlier ones. I hope people will get out of their idea of music which is dominated by the Bollywood music through the exciting line up of artists,” sums up Divya.
RIFF will be held from 5thto 9th October at Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur.