Jodhpur: The 20th edition of Rajasthan International Folk Festival (RIFF) concluded at Jaswant Thada, Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur on Monday morning. The five-day festival, which coincided with Sharad Purnima (the full moon of the autumn season), featured a full day of events on Sunday, while it ended at 7:30 AM on Monday, with a soulful vocal performance by Punjabi Singer Manpreet Singh at Jaswant Thada. The 'Moonrise' program was held at Jaswant Thada on Sunday evening, while the 'Insights' program at the Zenana Courtyard of Mehrangarh Fort served as a major highlight, featuring performances by artists representing both Indian and international musical traditions. The 'RIFF Rustle' session brought together artists from various musical traditions, who shared the same stage—a segment that continued well past midnight. Musicians included Killa Beatmaker, a Colombian DJ and producer and Dobby, an artist of Filipino-Murrawarri (Australian Indigenous) descent were featured performing artists in the lineup of the festival.With the collaboration of musician and pianist Merlin D'Souza, the performance brought together artists from diverse musical traditions, including Rajasthani 'dhol' (drum) players, as well as performers of the 'khartal' and 'dholak'.The objective of Jodhpur RIFF is to preserve Rajasthan's traditional musical heritage while providing it with national and international recognition. Organised under the aegis of the Mehrangarh Museum Trust, the festival offers artists from Rajasthan’s 'Manganiyar', 'Langa', and other folk traditions the opportunity to perform alongside musicians from across India and the world.
