It’s 5.30 am in the morning. There’s a slight nip in the air and you wrap yourself in a warm shawl. As you sit cross-legged with your eyes closed, you hear the soulful voice of Meghwals of Marwar, transporting you to another world of peace and calm. The meditative music is just a glimpse into how you begin your day at the Rajasthan International Folk Festival in Jodhpur.
Ever since its inception in 2007, RIFF has managed to draw audiences from worldwide, emerging as the leading festival to promote folk music, not just from Rajasthan, but also from different countries. Divya Bhatia, festival director, says that the theme of RIFF 2012 is the underlying texture of rhythm, bringing together the energies of percussion and stringed instruments.
Every year RIFF presents an exciting line-up of performances and this year, it has grown bigger in terms of quantity and quality. To surpass each year and make the next edition better, is surely challenging for any festival director and as Divya says, a lot of thought goes into putting together different acts and performances. “I can’t say that finding this particular group was difficult. Bringing every artiste who we present at RIFF needs to be well planned. For example, bringing down the Grupo Cimmarron from Colombia was a tedious process since the logistics and visas and other issues had to be worked out,” says Divya.
We bring you a low-down on what RIFF is offering this year.
n Grupo Cimmarron: They’ve come all the way from Colombia. This incredible group has a lot to offer and what is of particular interest is their Latin Harp apart from Cuatro and Cajones. Divya says that he had thought of Grupo last year and had invited them, but several logistical issues came in the way. Divya says, “The Latin Harp is something else. Though it is a stringed instrument, it has a particular rhythm, which is not just melodic but also has strong sense of beats.” Known for many years as the fiery masters of the ‘joropo Iianero’ tradition, Grupo Cimmarron’s music comes from traditional cattle herders. With a restless undertone, Cimmarron’s music is heart stomping and combines the best of rhythm and percussion.
n Mark Atkins: A musician, a storyteller, a composer and painter, Mark Atkins is a multifaceted and multitalented person. With roots that trace to the Aboriginal tribes from Australia, Atkins brings together the folk mesh of didgeridoo (a bamboo like long pipe with a hollow end), harmonica and guitar. He has worked with the likes of Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, Philip Glass and the Philharmonic Orchestra. RIFF will see him making his debut performance in India. Divya says, “He is a virtuous singer and his texture of rhythm is simply phenomenal.”
n Burhan Ocal: Burhan is one of Turkey’s foremost percussionists. Along with his Istanbul Ensemble, an amazing group of master musicians in the Rom gypsy and Turkish traditions, he is set to weave magic.
n Kaela Rowan: Divya says that he first heard Kaela sing at a hotel and later at a concert and was taken in by her voice. She is the former lead singer of the well-known group Mouth Music and Sola, Rowan is known for rendition of Gaelic and English Folk songs. “I have a gut feeling that her performance will take RIFF to another level. She is someone to watch out for,” says Divya.
n Naadro: The Sri Lankan band Naadro are among the hottest talents in percussion in South Asia and are fast emerging as a sensational act on stage. They will collaborate with young Rajasthani percussionists to create a foot thumping and heart-warming finale on the last evening at RIFF.
n Celtic piping: Two of the fieriest talents in contemporary Celtic piping, Scotland’s Ross Ainslie and Tyrone (Ireland)-born Jarlath Henderson will delight the audience with their piping skills.

Some of the other highlights include:
n In Residence: A series of interactive sessions will provide a rare opportunity to visitors to interact with Rajasthan’s communities, forms and traditions.
n Desert Lounge: The newest addition to the programme, Desert Lounge, starts from midnight and is an unusual, acoustic, full moon-lit rustic experience at the Rao Jodha Desert Park just outside the Mehrangarh Fort.
Among the Rajasthani artistes, Divya says that he would gun for Anwar Khan, Latif Khan Langa, Bhanwari Devi and Patashi Devi. While Bhanwari Devi has grown with RIFF and gained a lot of acclaim and love worldwide, the others are talented musicians in their own right.
“Anwar Khan is someone who even A.R. Rahman knows, but our junta wouldn’t. The idea is to present their talent on a platform where they get the credit for their music,” says Divya. He explains that the basic structure of the festival was to promote Rajasthani folk music along with international folk music. But having strengthened the core foundation of the festival, Divya says that next year would see folk performances coming from different states in India too.
Giving us a sneak peek into what the line-up would look like next year, Divya says that performances by folk artistes from Chattisgarh, Punjab, Kerala, and Kuchh will be in the offing. “After I realised that the essential structure of festival was strengthened, it was time to look out for expansion and other exciting artistes we could offer. I realised that my audience was interested in folk music from different parts of India and by next year, we will definitely have something more on the national folk music front,” says Divya.
It’s like reinventing the wheel with every passing year. Divya says that sustaining the festival is the biggest challenge of all. He also mentions that comparing RIFF with other music festivals of the country wouldn’t be a fair comparison.
“Every music festival caters to a particular audience. With RIFF, we just don’t present folk artistes. At the risk of sounding immodest, I believe the quantum and quality of authentic folk music and international acts is something that remains unparalleled at RIFF. The structure of RIFF is different from the rest. Our association with our artistes, especially the folk ones from Rajas-than is a lifelong one,” says Divya.
The four-day festival begins on Oct. 26