The collaboration between SAZ and Tarini Tripathi was one of the highlights of Jodhpur RIFF, 2024 Photo Credit: Courtesy: Jodhpur RIFF/Ojio

One is made of beaten clay, the other of gourd. The overlapping origin stories of Ghatam and Kailash were further reflected in the musical conversation held during the opening ceremony of Jodhpur RIFF. The instruments interacted like old friends, belying the fact that the musicians playing them were from different continents and had met just 10 minutes before taking the stage. Classical musician Giridhar Udupa and Congolese percussionist Eli Miller Maboungou showcased the essence of the festival.

Roots Music Festival, now in its 17th year, is known for bringing home music beyond categorization and division. Urban-rural, classical-folk, vocal-instrumental, dance-music, local-international and other labels pale in comparison to the experiences offered at the festival with its picturesque settings (and grand entrances and exits by the sun and moon). Adding layers of effects.

Norwegian band Gabba performed Yoiks, a traditional singing style of the Sami people of northern Scandinavia. , Photo Credit: Courtesy: Jodhpur RIFF/Ojio

As always, this edition of the festival presented all types of music (upbeat, meditative, song-free, complex, subtle, direct) that was spoken, played, sung or even danced. While Norwegian band Gabba taught us about yoik, the traditional singing style of the Sami people of northern Scandinavia, kartal groups from Rajasthani folk communities demonstrated how playing the rhythm can also be pure dance. Natig Shirinov’s energetic performance and Sukanya Ramgopal and team’s rendition of rare Carnatic ragas on Ghatam have proven time and again that percussion can sing (and go solo). The similarity between the rhythmic chanting of Azerbaijan-based Natig and the Indian Konakol cannot be ignored.

Sukanya Ramgopal and team singing rare Carnatic ragas on Ghatam. Photo Credits: Courtesy: Jodhpur RIFF/Ojio

Estonian duo Pulluup had the audience rolling on the floor, laughing, or simply dancing with joy at their remarkable music coupled with the tunes of the talharpa (an instrument they saved from the brink of extinction). CR Vyas’s Bandish (performed by Anuja Zokarkar and team) announced the rise of the red moon, while Chandana Bala Kalyan’s Carnatic concert left a deep impression on a rising day. The music of Manganiyar and Meghwala, the guitar playing of Lewis Mhlanga, the Koodiyattam of Kapila Venu, the powerful combination of Barnali Chattopadhyay’s musical rendition of Amir Khusro’s poetry, the esoteric poetry of Sumitra Das Goswami, the contemplative music of Gray by Silver and the Indian Ocean of Emmeline – She comes from here. Mauritius – Jodhpur The fare at this edition of RIFF was as varied as ever, often leaving audiences with difficult choices.

The best of the interactive sessions (which included puppet shows, tamasha, dance workshops and more) was the session titled ‘Why I do what I do’, in which five musicians from Rajasthani folk communities explained how women practitioners of the arts How do I connect with their lives? , The samples of his work that he presented left the audience deeply engaged, asking many questions and eager to hear and know more.

Marwar Malang, a Sarangi Jugalbandi, was curated by festival director Divya Bhatia Photo Credit: Courtesy: Jodhpur RIFF/Ojio

Of the many collaborations presented at the festival, two stood out. In Marwar Malang, a sarangi jugalbandi devised by festival director Divya Bhatia, Dilshad Khan’s classical sarangi produced a more refined sound and displayed the structured approach of classical music (the instrument itself looked more graceful) but Asin Khan’s Sindhi The raw, throaty tunes from Sarangi exuded a magnetism that defied resistance. The balanced way in which both sarangis bridged the gap of vertical distance in between speaks volumes about the musical talent of both the artists and the way the festival has created space for such musical interaction.

The second collaboration was between SAZ (an acronym for Sadiq, Asin and Zakir Khan – who play the dholak, Sindhi sarangi and khartal respectively) and Kathak dancer Tarini Tripathi. This collaboration was first seen at last year’s festival edition, and has evolved into a more expansive exploration of creating new forms from unused artistic materials within artists. Titled ‘Inayat – A Duet for Four’, all four partners stepped out of their comfort zone in this thought-provoking choreography. Asin Khan played the role in the movement sequence (while singing and playing the sarangi), Tarini and Zakir Khan sang the song (at different moments in the performance) and Sadiq Khan read the poem.

Sadiq, Asin and Zakir Khan and Tarini Tripathi celebrate the beauty of artistic collaboration. Photo Credit: Courtesy: Jodhpur RIFF/Ojio

Tarini described the process of creating this work, saying, “In a traditional Kathak performance, the dance is at the center and the music is crafted around it, but here, we are equal collaborators.” Asin said, “Our songs are more based on stories than ragas.” Inayat’s main attraction was the mature way in which folk and classical co-existed harmoniously, with neither overshadowing the other.