5:30 AM to 7:30 AM
Jaswant Thada (outside Mehrangarh Fort)
Full Festival pass/ Day Pass/ RIFF dawns pass Rs. 250/-

Every year, the Meghwals of Marwar herald in the dawn at Jodhpur RIFF. Under the first light of the rising sun on a cool, serene morning, the melodic drone of the tandura, the beat of the jhanjh/ manjira (small- paired cymbals) and the rhythm of the dholak create the mood for the meditative strains of the bhajan (literally, ‘to revere, also to share’) of the Meghwal community. Traditionally weavers, Meghwals are not only known for their contribution to embroidery and the textile industry, but also for the rich folklore they nurture. In keeping with the tradition, this year too, the Meghwal begin our first dawn concert with their masterful vocals. Right afterwards, with different but equally soulful vocals, Jalal and Barkat Manganiyar take the stage. Like their bond as brothers, the synergy in their musicianship is equally endearing as they sing their spiritual songs, traditionally sung for their patrons, the Paliwal Brahmins.

9:45 AM to 5:00 PM
Venues throughout the Mehrangarh Museum
Museum Entry Ticket/ Full Festival pass/ Day Pass

Discover the myriad hues of the traditional dance forms of Rajasthan, reflecting its distinctive root traditions, some popular and some rare, including: Chang Nritya– a charming, captivating dance, with men swaying and grooving while playing a round frame-drum called chang; Teraah Taali – known for agility and grace, where women move to and produce the reverberating sounds of teraah i.e. thirteen little cymbals or manjira that are fastened to their waist, wrists, elbows, and hands, simultaneously showcasing their skills of movement, balance and concentration; the Kalbeliya, a dance form that evolved when the traditional snake charmers of the state could no longer work with snake; Khari Dance– revolving around a heartfelt dialogue between a couple, performed with a wooden basket called Khari… And many other forms!

11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Chokelao Bagh
Full Festival pass/ Day Pass

“Why I do what I do” was originally developed as a site-specific, immersive music and theatre experience in 2023, produced by two independent artists, artistic director Supriya and filmmaker Suruchi Sharma. The performers were five women from four different performing art traditions of Rajasthan – Maewa Sapera, Mamta Sapera, Prem Dangi, Hanifa Manganiyar and Kamla Bhatt. Unique in its conception, the performance was keen to find an audience that understood the various intricacies and layers behind its core idea, as it attempted to reveal newer ways of engaging with audiences and opening up to various possibilities of form and function.

In this session we hear from all the women, their songs, their stories and the story of this unusual project. And what the future might hold for them.

Jodhpur RIFF’s interactive session series ‘In Residence’ gives the audience a rare opportunity to meet fascinating artists from various root traditions. The sessions encourage audience members to engage and discuss challenges, forms and traditional practice through performances, lecture-demonstrations and facilitated conversations. As more and more of Rajasthan and India’s rich traditional cultural heritage disappears, Jodhpur RIFF puts the spotlight on some of its remarkable music forms and traditions (some nearing extinction) and opens dialogue to surface and explore how these challenges could be addressed.

5:45 PM to 7:00 PM
CHOKELAO BAGH
Full Festival pass/ Day Pass

Performance by Meherdeen Langa and accompanists
Algoza and Sarangi performance by Idu Khan Langa and Asin Khan Langa

While most Langa and Manganiyar musicians can play several instruments, only some become proficient in more than one instrument. And very few of them, like 65-year-old Meherdeen (aka Meheruddin) Khan Langa are highly proficient in the traditional instruments of their own community and equally proficient in the instruments credited to a different tradition.
From the age of 8 years, Meherdeen Langa learned to play both the Sindhi Sarangi and the Algoza. The Sindhi Sarangi was the purview of the Sarangiya Langa community, Meherdeen’s community, who were singers as well. The women of the house would sing and young Meherdeen learned the songs and also learned to accompany the women on the Sarangi. Meherdeen was also responsible for grazing the goats owned by the family and learned to play the Algoza (the wind instrument of the Surnaiya Langa community, who usually did not sing or play the Sarangi), when navigating his way through the dunes, or leading the goats through the winter fog on the desert. His teacher was Mathar Khan Langa, a master who taught many leading Langa musicians, more than 50 years ago. In addition to becoming a young, masterful performer, Meherdeen also learned to be the genealogist of his patron’s family. His first overseas performance was at the age of 21, traveling to the USA as a part of a larger group. He loved performing publicly and as his skill and mastery grew, he became recognised as a leading Langa musician. Now in semi-retirement, Meherdeen still performs whenever he can.
At the inaugural edition of Jodhpur RIFF in 2007, Meherdeen shared the stage with and masterfully held his own during a 10-minute collaboration with Padma Vibhushan Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia.
At Jodhpur RIFF 2024, Maherdeen’s son Koju Khan accompanies his father.

7:30 PM onwards
Zenana Courtyard
Full Festival pass/ Day Pass

Manganiyar of Marwar: Vocal Magic
The Manganiyar of Marwar is an annual special performance by the artists of the community at Jodhpur RIFF, dedicated to the late Padma Shri Sakhar Khan Manganiyar of Hamira – doyen and custodian of their musical traditions, mentor and teacher par-excellence. Performed by senior legends of the Manganiyar community, this year we focus on the older songs and vocal traditions/ styles unique to their community, an expression of the desert like none other. The songs we will hear are rarely heard these days, even by their own patrons. Barkat Khan (Chattangarh), Barkat Khan (Myajlar), Hakim Khan (Kisola) and Multan Khan (Dedariya) render the songs, accompanied by Sakhar ji’s sons Ghevar Khan and Darre Khan on Kamaicha, and their brother, the living master of the Rajasthani dholak, Firoze Khan. Friend and cousin, Devu Khan accompanies on the khartal

Elli-Miller Maboungou: Percussive Persuasion
A young versatile drummer/ composer/ teacher known for his dynamic and skilled performances, Elli Miller-Maboungou grew up in an african dance studio (Compagnie Danse Nyata Nyata, Montreal) and learned to drum before he could walk. Having played with many drum masters, whose influences have helped him establish his own drum style, Elli has been touring around the world with different musical
projects and has been a part of many studio recordings (Afrotronix, Jazzamboka, Dominique Fils-Aimé, Joe Chambers with Blue Note records, Simon Denizart and many more). A young master of Congolese drumming, Elli has a remarkable ability to fuse traditional rhythms with contemporary music and is among a handful of figures in the music world, emerging strong in his genre. His performances and collaborations continue to inspire and bring the rich heritage of Congolese drumming to a global audience.

India Premiere at Jodhpur RIFF 2024

Khartal interlude with Devu Khan Manganiyar
Jodhpur RIFF presents a performance featuring some of the best young Manganiyar khartal players from Rajasthan. Led by Devu Khan Manganiyar, one of Rajasthan’s lead instrumentalists.

Gabba: Tales from a Yoiker
Gabba, meaning “Ivory-coated Reindeer,” is a young and exceptional Sámi musical ensemble dedicated to evolving and preserving the rich music and storytelling heritage of Sámi culture. The Sámi are indigenous to the far northern parts of the Nordic countries and Russia. Unique to their tradition is Yoik (also spelled Joik or Jojk), one of Europe’s oldest song traditions. A unique form with minimal lyrics or no lyrics at all, with associations to the ancient shamanic traditions of the indigenous Sámi, winners of the Spellemannprisen (equivalent to a Norwegian Grammy), Gabba weave traditional and modern yoik singing style into a vibrant musical tapestry influenced by Norwegian folk, Americana, and world music. At the heart of their sound is jojiker (yoik master) John André Eira, from Mazé in northern Norway, whose original compositions blend seamlessly with traditional yoik, creating an evocative and immersive experience. Known for their dynamic live performances, Gabba’s youthful energy brings Sámi culture to the forefront, offering audiences an authentic musical journey that both enlightens and inspires.

India Premiere at Jodhpur RIFF 2024

Barnali Chattopadhyay: Amir Khusrau
Amir Khusrau (also Khusro, Khusraw) is probably the one name that almost every Hindustani and Carnatic (classical) singer and musician in the subcontinent is familiar with. He’s equally revered among poets and writers and historians. Considered by some to be the ‘father of Urdu literature’ and ‘the voice of India’, Amir Khusrau was a 13th century Indo-Persian poet, singer, composer and writer, known for his commitment to music, Sufi, qawwali and the spiritual life in the court of Nizammuddin Auliya of Delhi. A disciple of the Chishti order, Khusrau’s work developed at a time of great strife and war in the subcontinent and his messages of love and brotherhood remain relevant and magical to this day. Often credited with having created the sitar, his impact on the poetry and music of India is profound. And, centuries later, his ‘Aaj Rang hai’ or ‘Chaap Tilak’ are more popular than ever before.
Back by popular demand this year, and after her really well-received, recent project Heeramandi, Hindustani vocalist of Banarasi Maand and a well-known name in the thumri tradition, Barnali Chattopadhyay presents her unique selection from the works of Amir Khusrau for Jodhpur RIFF 2024. Barnaliji’s highly expressive voice that invokes a sense of great love and reverence for the themes of her music, promises to bring the words of Amir Khusrau to us fresh and vibrant. Having received much of her guidance from the legendary Padma Vibhushan Girija Devi, her learning was also shaped and developed by the musicologist Dr. Kumar Prasad Mukhopadhyay (Agra Gharana), Vidushi Purnima Chaudhari and the thumri queen Shobha Gurtu. Barnali ji’s music greatly invokes feelings of birha (sorrow), shringar (beauty/ love), as well as devotion.

Midnight onwards
Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park (adjacent to lower car park of Mehrangarh Fort)
Full Festival pass/ Day Pass

Ek raat khaas lok kalakaaron ke saath…
Jodhpur RIFF presents a special Desert Lounge in the Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park. An all-acoustic experience with the senior and younger vocalists of the Kalbeliya community, led by Mohini Devi, new and emerging groups of the Manganiyar musicians from villages across the desert such as the one led by Sawai Khan (Keraliya) and masters of songs of the Rajasthani Sufi traditions among the Langa communities of Marwar, led by Bundu Khan Langa. This experience is as rustic as you can get, sans electricity, surrounded by nature, against the backdrop of the legendary Mehrangarh fort.

As the music is acoustic (non-amplified) and the space is intimate, seating is on a first-come-first-serve basis. The slightest noise distracts fellow audience members and makes it hard to listen to the performers. We would greatly appreciate it if the audience refrained from chatting and speaking during the performance or while waiting to be seated.

Please note: The meeting point for the Desert Lounge for all audiences is in the Mehrangarh Fort lower car park at 11.45 pm or at the entrance to the Rao Jodha Park at 11.50 pm. The walk to and from the performance space is approximately 10 minutes from the lower car park: first on the road to the Rao JodhaPark entrance (5 minutes) and then in the park itself (5-8 minutes) – so please wear decent shoes for walking! Please carry something warm (it gets chilly); hot drinks & light snacks will be available for purchase.