RIFF Dawns With The Meghwal Of Marwar
from 5.30 AM to 7.30 AM
Jaswant Thada (outside Mehrangarh Fort)
Free access for valid donor pass holders only (full festival and day pass)
Rs.100/- entry fee for non pass holders
The Meghwals of Marwar herald in the first dawn at Jodhpur RIFF, every year.
Early in the day, a 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 bhajans of the Meghwal community, sung in praise of their Guru/ saint Ram Dev ji. This year we have the exquisitely meditative and masterful Mahesha Ram, Bhallu Ram and Tamachi Ram singing the poetry of popular poets of their community and form Rajasthan.
Note : There will be free guided walks available in the Rao Jodha Desert park after each dawn concert.
JODHPUR RIFF DANCE BOOTCAMPS
Jodhpur RIFF presents its very first rustic dance ‘bootcamps’, facilitated by noted trainer and danseuse Ada Kyra. Short, intense and very rigorous, these camps will give participants an experiential insight into the movements and practice of these dance forms.
DANCE BOOTCAMP I
Kalbeliya and Ghoomar Nritya
from 8.30 AM to 10.00 AM
Chokelao Bagh (Mehrangarh Fort)
Entry free for Full Festival and Day Pass holders only
Kalbeliya & Ghoomar are two well-known, magnificent traditional dance forms having their roots in Rajasthan.
Ghoomar, originally a Bhil tribal dance in praise of Goddess Saraswati, is now a popular, ‘must have’ in any Rajasthani family celebration. It typically involves delicate wrist movements and performers twirling while moving in and out of a wide circle (the word ghoomna means “twirling around” and is the basis of the word ghoomar). The Kalbeliya dance form can be equally delicate or vigorous. It is the traditional dance of the Kalbeliya community, emulating the movements of snakes.
We invite you to embrace the rustic beauty of these dances in the company of Samdha and Deepika Kalbeliya... learn some key arm and wrist movements, spins.. celebrate those twirling waists and let loose… in the musical air of Jodhpur RIFF!
Participant requirements: Free, flowing comfortable clothing… T-shirts or long, loose shirts or blouses, stretchable and loose track or harem pants or long skirts. A hand towel.
Please Note:
Each Kalbeliya & Ghoomar session is a stand-alone; participants can come for any one session.
All three boot camps have limited capacity.
Please wear appropriate clothing.
Do carry your own wiping material (towel, wet wipes, etc.). Be prepared to sweat! It is a boot camp!! No prior dance experience required.
No observers will be allowed, just the participants.
IN RESIDENCE I
from 11.15 AM to 1.15 PM
Chokelao Bagh (Mehrangarh Fort)
Music of Kashmir
Drawing on its rich musical and Sufiyana heritage Shafi Sopori (a passionate, talented Kashmiri singer), Mohammed Muneem (singer-songwriter, poet and composer and frontman of Alif) and melodious vocalist Vibha Saraf give us a glimpse of their love and experience of Kashmiri music. They will be talking about the different musical traditions of Kashmir and what it means to Kashmiris and how music creates the space for dialogues to happen when it is needed most.
Jodhpur RIFF's interactive session series give the audience a rare opportunity to meet fascinating artists from various root traditions.The sessions encourage visitors to engage with them and chat about various folk instruments, forms and communities through their performances, demonstrations and facilitated interactions. As more and more of Rajasthan's and India's rich traditional cultural heritage disappears Jodhpur RIFF puts the spotlight on some of our remarkable music forms and traditions nearing extinction.
LIVING LEGENDS
from 5.45 PM to 7.15 PM
Near Dhana Bhiyan Chatri (Mehrangarh Fort)
Suguna Jogi (vocals)
Suguna Jogi hails from the village of Samrau, near Jodhpur. She belongs to the Jogi community, who have traditionally been experts on snakes, their handling, capture and care. This is the community from which the popular Kalbeliya dance form comes and she is one of the senior-most custodians of the vocal traditions that accompany the dance. Suguna ji is among the last few people alive who remember the ancient musical forms that are sung before the dancers begin to perform. Inspite of setbacks in her personal life, Suguna ji continues to perform across the globe with passion and verve. She has a charming but powerful presence and her voice is as unique as the art form she keeps alive.
Dapu Khan (kamaicha)
Dapu Khan ji is an stalwart of the kamaicha. Hailing from the village of Bhadli, near Jaisalmer he has been a regular presence at the Queen’s Palace in Jaisalmer fort for the last three decades. He comes from the Miraasi community, who believe they are descended from the Gandharva musicians who performed in Indra’s court. Dapu ji was taught to play the kamaicha along by his father. The story goes that the entire neighbourhood would come to a standstill when the young Dapu played in the evenings. From there he has gone on to continue to learn about the instrument as well as his musical lineage as well as teach it to his son and nephews and others who want to learn to keep this instrument alive. He has enthralled audiences from all over the world at Jaisalmer fort. He has won the admiration and patronage of the Jaisalmer royal family, the Rajasthan Tourism board and many others for his skill and dedication to his heritage.
In its present form, the Kamaicha has 10-17 strings and is played with a bow. A typical Kamaicha is made of mango wood, its rounded resonator ‘tumba’ is covered with goatskin. The playing strings (3-4) are made of goat intestine -‘roda’ and ‘joda’ while the other 14 sympathetic strings are made of steel, called ‘jhara’. The Kamaicha is different from its Iranian counterpart called ‘Kamanche’ (a spiked fiddle with a smaller body and no resonant strings). The Kamaicha’s bow is prepared from ‘Khejari’ wood and horse tail hair. Occasionally, small bells (ghungroo) are attached to the bow to produce a rhythmic jingle along with the notes.
MOODY RIFFS
Main stage performances
7.45 pm onwards
Old Zenana Courtyard (Mehrangarh Fort)
Music of the Kalbeliyas with Mohini Devi
Mohini Devi
will open the Main Stage performances of this year’s festival with a presentation of traditional Jogi (also known as the Jogi Kalbeliyas) music. Mohini ji is an enthralling singer who hails from the Jogi community in Daijar, near Mandore. She is one of the few female singers left who carries on what used to be a robust musical tradition in the community. The women of the gypsy-like Jogi community used to sing along with the serpents the community is famous for handling. When the practice of catching and raising snakes were outlawed under wildlife preservation laws the women slowly began dancing to represent the snakes that were an integral part of their culture. Over time the Kalbeliya dance form has overshadowed the musical traditions of the Jogis with only a few women left who remember and perform these disappearing songs. What is also a remarkable is that not many women vocalists can match the high pitch of the been (pungi), the reed-like instrument which is a hallmark of the Jogi Kalbeliya the way Mohini ji can. Her astoundingly unique voice and passionate presence make for a wonderful performer.
Makan Ashgvari
Makan Ashgvari
refuses to be categorized. A singer-songwriter, actor, director and teacher living and working in Tehran. His sound is as eclectic as his passions – combining electronica with spoken word, jazz and pop, he takes his audiences on a journey as personal as it is communal. He puts the Persian sounds of his heritage (the poetry, music, folk forms and instruments) into frame that evokes his own modern day experiences of growing up in Teheran. He has been performing with rock bands such as Dash, with the jazz band Naima and with the independent experimental music band Bomrani. He has worked with theatre directors such as Sajad Afsharian and Hamid Pourazari and directed his own theater productions with musicians and actors.
Kashmiri Sufiyana with Shafi Sopori
Shafi Sopori
is a dynamic and mesmerising Sufi singer from Sopore, Kashmir. His passion for music sustained him through a turbulent and financially precarious childhood. His talent was recognised but the opportunities to further them were few and far between. By dint of sheer passion and hard work he is known today as one of the finest Sufi singers from Kashmir. His penchant for Kashmiri folk and Sufi gayaki combined with his mesmeric swaying and enthusiasm during his performances make him a delight to listen to and watch.
DESERT LOUNGE (all acoustic, traditional – from Rajasthan)
11.30 pm onwards
Rao Jodha Desert and Rock Park (adjacent to the lower car park of Mehrangarh Fort)
Jodhpur RIFF presents 'Desert Lounge' in the Rao Jodha Desert Park, just outside the Mehrangarh Fort… an unusual, acoustic, moon-lit rustic experience under the stars with musicians in this stark yet beautiful environment - Sumitra Das and artists of Mehfil-e-Thar bring the night alive.
The night begins with vocalist Sumitra, a hugely popular singer who specialises in bhajan sangeet and other forms of traditional Rajasthani music. She's been featured at JRIFF and other festivals in India and abroad and has collaborated with spectacular composers and performers like Ram Sampath. Her husky alto and powerful throw will create a magical ambience under the moonlit desert night.
She will be followed by Mehfil-e-Thar where a motley group of extremely talented artistes from the Barmer and Jaisalmer districts will present a rare repertoire of songs on nature, changing seasons, love and the events and celebrations that mark important milestones in the lives of desert dwellers. It will be a rare glimpse into the way music and life are so highly integrated in these communities.
Please note: The meeting point for the Desert Lounge for all audience is in the Mehrangarh Fort lower car park at 10.45 pm or at the entrance to the Rao Jodha Park at 11.00 pm. The walk to and from the performance space is approximately 10-15 minutes from the lower car park: first on the road to the Rao Jodha Park 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 refreshments are available for purchase.
As the music is acoustic (non-amplified) and the space is intimate, any noise might make it hard to hear vocalists and distract fellow audience members. We would greatly appreciate it if the audience refrained from chatting and speaking on phones during the performance. You could step away from the seating area to do so.
