October marks the beginning of the peak tourist season in Jodhpur and RIFF is the first major event that kicks things off. The festival will take place between 6 and 10 October, with concerts, cultural performances, film screenings and more. This is the 13th edition of Jodhpur RIFF, which first began in 2007.
Jodhpur RIFF is a not-for-profit roots music festival endorsed by UNESCO as a "Peoples" Platform for Creativity and Sustainable Development”. Timed to coincide with "Sharad Purnima" the brightest full moon of the year in north India, Jodhpur RIFF features a series of spectacular concerts and events based in and around Mehrangarh Fort, voted "Asia's Best Fortress" by Time Magazine. The festival primarily takes place in Mehrangarh Fort—the most popular tourist attraction in the city. There are also various venues around the fort, including the beautiful Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park, Jaswant Thada and Veer Durga Das Memorial Park.
The festival is genre-independent, so you can expect a mix of various kinds of music, both Indian and international. Not many may know that Mick Jagger is the international patron for RIFF. As a result, several international artists, like Manu Chao, Pete Lockett and Maya Kamaty got a platform in India through RIFF. The festival also includes jam sessions with local Rajasthani folk musicians that take place at night.
