“Music, once admitted to the soul, becomes a sort of spirit, and never dies.” ― Edward Bulwer-Lytton
And, if you share the same thoughts, then here’s the list of the best music festivals to attend in India that are surely going to give the time of your life. We remember Dayanand Saraswati who said, “Though music transcends language, culture and time, and though notes are the same, Indian music is unique because it is evolved, sophisticated and melodies are defined.”
For example, Touted as the Burning Man of the East, Ragasthan is a feat of extraordinary. Setting up here means, creating a temporary township with electricity and running water in the middle of a desert – 52km of cabling, 87,000 litre’s water, 5,000 litres of free tea, an army of adventure seeking volunteers and a common unifying spirit to create an unforgettable experience for all who visit.
Interested enough? Let’s look at the never-to-be-missed list:
1. Ragasthan
Where: Thar Desert, Jaisalmer
The Festival has 3 music stages – Morio (which means Peacock in the local language) is grand, theatrical and showcases Rock, Pop, Hip-Hop, World Music and more. Birakha (‘rain’ in the local language) is the more personal stage, which gives closer access to performers and showcases Indie, Singer-SongWriters and experimental artists through the afternoon into sunset. Then there’s Ammara (‘shining star’ in the local dialect) – the only way to stay warm at night is to find yourself dancing the night away where DJ’s and live acts from across the electronic music spectrum spin some of the grooviest dance tunes.
2. Magnetic Fields Festival
Where: Alsisar Mahal, Alsisar
The Magnetic fields festival is a 3-day long festival that showcases contemporary music and the arts – a perfect luxurious and indulgent stage to see both International artists and regional artists come together to share some of their best compositions live on stage.
3. Ziro Music Festival
Where: Ziro Valley, Arunachal Pradesh
Ziro Valley that has been listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, is the site for Ziro Music Festival that brings together independent music artists and diverse audience for some original cool music. This is a vibrant mixture of art, music, and culture, that is a go-to destination for the youngsters and hip enthusiasts if you want to get high on music & hospitality of the Apatani tribe.
4. Jodhpur RIFF
Where: Mehrangarh Fort & Museum, Mehrangarh
According to UNESCO, Jodhpur RIFF is the “People’s platform for creativity and Sustainable Development”. RIFF stands for Rajasthan International Folk Festival that showcases the cultural lifestyle of India and beyond. This five day long festival see artists from different regions around the world bringing together fusion of Indian and international music.
5. Locals District Music Festival
Where: Castle Kalwar, Jaipur
This is a festival of techno and house music spread over 72 hours with 50 artists on 4 different stages against the fairytale-like 18th century castle. The stay is arranged in a tent city called Harlem curating thoughtful experiences.
The interaction with Nature is the founding discourse of any traveller. Recently moving to the mountain village brought me nearer to ground, a look closer at the dance of eternity. I realised there are varied worlds steeped in beauty, innocence and imagination, not bound by false arcades of norms and pretence. Travel stories fascinate me. For me, it’s been about renegotiating newer territories; forever relocating; listening & writing stories.
