Five-day festival brings together more than 250 folk artists from India and abroad
The 20th edition of the Jodhpur Rajasthan International Folk Festival (RIFF) will be held at Mehrangarh Fort from October 22 to 26, bringing together more than 250 folk musicians and performers from Rajasthan, India and across the world. Organised by the Mehrangarh Museum Trust under the patronage of Maharaja Gaj Singh II, the festival will celebrate traditional music while creating opportunities for cultural exchange and innovative collaborations.
International music legend Sir Mick Jagger is the festival’s international patron, while Divya Bhatia is its festival director.
Two Decades of Celebrating Folk Music
Marking 20 years, Jodhpur RIFF has grown into an international platform for traditional and roots music, with artists representing more than a dozen countries across six continents, including Colombia, Chile, Portugal, Poland, Scotland and Estonia.
Rajasthan’s folk communities remain at the heart of the festival. Manganiyar, Langa, Meghwal, Bhopа, Kalbelia, Meena, Bhil and other traditional performers will share their music and cultural heritage with audiences.
Maharaja Gaj Singh II said Jodhpur RIFF had become an integral part of Rajasthan’s cultural heritage. He noted that the festival had helped local folk artists earn recognition worldwide and provided them with opportunities to perform on national and international platforms.
Festival Director Divya Bhatia said Rajasthan’s artists had remained central to the festival throughout its two-decade journey. He described RIFF as a platform where local musicians could present their traditions to contemporary audiences and collaborate with leading roots musicians from India and around the world.
Mehrangarh Turns into a Musical Landscape
The festival will transform Mehrangarh and its surrounding heritage venues into a musical experience. The programme includes morning performances at Veer Durgadas Memorial Park, sunrise and moonrise concerts at Jaswant Thada, workshops at Chokelao Bagh, and grand evening concerts in the Zenana Courtyard. Performances will also take place at Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park’s Desert Lounge and Club Mehrangarh at Salimkot.
International and Indian Artists to Perform
The festival will feature international performers, including Michael McGoldrick and Donald Shaw from the UK, Prince Buster’s Funk Family, Martha Redbone and Aaron Whitby, as well as French opera singer Camila Borrat, among other artists making their Indian debut.
Indian performers will include Padma Shri awardee Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, Manipuri musician Mangka Mayanglambam, pianist and composer Merlin D’Souza, sitarist Chintan Katti, Ruby Abel, Jasleen Kaur Monga and violinist Ambi Subramaniam.
Returning performers will include Finnish fiddler Emilia Lajunen, Colombian DJ KILABITMAKER and Estonian duo Puuluup, known for combining traditional instruments with looping and electronic effects.
Cross-Cultural Musical Collaborations
Special collaborations will bring together Rajasthani musicians and international artists. Young Langa musicians Sadiq Khan, Asin Khan and Zakir Khan will perform alongside Michael McGoldrick and Donald Shaw. Other collaborations will pair Emilia Lajunen with Asin Khan Langa, Polish singer Karolina Cicha with Anita Dangi, and artists from different traditions in performances blending Sindhi Sarangi, fiddle and Rajasthani Maand.
Rajasthan’s musical heritage will also be represented by Bikaner’s Mir Basu Khan, Padma Shri awardee Tanga Ram, Manganiyar singers Ghewar Khan and Dare Khan, percussionist Firoz Khan, and Sindhi Sarangi player Asin Khan Langa. More than 100 young Langa and Manganiyar artists associated with the Mehrangarh Museum’s Folk Future programme will also perform.
Women performers will include Anita Dangi, Meghwal sisters Dariya and Kewal, and mother-daughter duo Ganga and Sundar, known for their renditions of traditional Rajasthani Maand.
Theatre Debuts at RIFF
For the first time, Jodhpur RIFF will also feature theatre. Brihannala, presented by Adishakti Theatre, explores the Mahabharata episode in which Arjuna spends a year living in disguise as a dance teacher. Directed by Veenapani Chawla and featuring Vinay Kumar, the production adds a theatrical dimension to the festival.
Free Programmes on October 22
The festival will open on October 22 with a free programme for schoolchildren at Veer Durgadas Memorial Park on Masuriya Hill, scheduled from 8 am to 1 pm. Attractions will include traditional performances such as Kachhi Ghodi, Bhapang, Bhawai-style acts, Bahurupiya, Garasia dance, Chari dance and Dandiya Gair, alongside other folk presentations.
The opening-night city concert will take place from 7.30 pm to 10 pm in the parking area of Mehrangarh Fort. Featuring traditional Rajasthani performers and music ranging from folk to funk, the concert will be open to the public free of charge.
Jodhpur RIFF 2026 will conclude with a sunrise concert at Jaswant Thada on October 26, from 5.30 am to 7.30 am.
