Free events bring Rajasthan’s living traditions to Jodhpur streets
Jodhpur — The Jodhpur Roots International Folk Festival (RIFF) 2026 opened on 22 October by offering free cultural experiences for the city’s schoolchildren and residents before moving into a packed programme of music, dance, theatre and ritual, organisers reported. Scheduled to coincide with Sharad Purnima, the festival runs until 26 October.
The first day was dedicated to the city: daytime events for pupils and a public, ticket-free Opening Night City Concert on the slope below Mehrangarh Fort. The initiative underlined the festival’s stated belief that traditional music and performance belong first to the communities from which they emerge, while the artists who sustain these legacies deserve a prominent platform.
Bal Mela, street performance and a growing audience
At Veer Durga Das Memorial Park the free Bal Mela introduced children to endangered and regionally distinctive performing arts. The programme combined local practitioners and travelling performance traditions:
- Kathputli marionettes presenting royal tales;
- Acrobats and Bhawai daredevils; performers assembled by the Kawa circus to revive travelling circus traditions;
- Chari dancers balancing lamps on their heads;
- Bhapang players from Mewat demonstrating comedic string-instrument techniques.
At dusk, the parking slope below Mehrangarh Fort hosted the free city concert, which blended Rajasthani folk performers with visiting Indian and international artists. The music moved through funk and culminated in an energetic drum-and-dance finale that left the audience in a celebratory mood. Organisers said this edition recorded its largest turnout yet for the City Concert.
Early-morning revival and continuing programmes
The festival’s second day opened at sunrise at Jaswant Thada, with a performance by the Meghwal of Marwar, drawing attention to that community’s musical heritage. Across successive days, the RIFF programme continued to juxtapose traditional Rajasthani performances with contemporary collaborations, international music, theatre and ritual practices, according to the festival schedule made public by organisers.
“Traditional music belongs first to the communities from which it originates,” organisers said, describing the opening day as an effort to place local audiences at the centre of the festival.
What Jodhpur audiences can expect
Festival organisers positioned the opening as both outreach and showcase: outreach through free daytime events for young audiences, and a showcase by bringing regionally rooted performers onto stages shared with visiting acts. The approach aims to foster pride in local practices while exposing communities to cross-cultural collaborations.
| Date | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 22 October | Bal Mela (children’s events) | Veer Durga Das Memorial Park |
| 22 October (dusk) | Opening Night City Concert (free) | Slope below Mehrangarh Fort |
| 23 October (sunrise) | Meghwal performance | Jaswant Thada |
For Jodhpur residents the festival represents both a public celebration on heritage sites and an opportunity for schoolchildren to encounter endangered art forms. As RIFF continues through Sharad Purnima, organisers have said a fuller programme of collaborative works and rituals will unfold at multiple city venues, drawing artists from Rajasthan, across India and abroad.
Reporting from the fort city, the opening underscored how public access and youth engagement remain central to efforts to sustain and revitalise Rajasthan’s performing arts.
