For two decades, a 15th-century fort in Jodhpur has hosted one of the world's most beautiful music festivals. Jodhpur RIFF celebrates its 20th edition this week, from 22 to 26 October 2026, timed as always to Sharad Purnima, the brightest full moon of the year in North India.

Jodhpur RIFF 2026 at a glance

  • Dates: Thursday 22 to Monday 26 October 2026
  • Venue: Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, plus Jaswant Thada for dawn concerts
  • Organiser: Mehrangarh Museum Trust
  • Artists: musicians from six continents and about a dozen countries
  • Rajasthani artists: more than 250 folk musicians
  • Passes: day pass Rs 7,300; full festival pass Rs 17,800; opening night free

Rajasthan at the heart

Festival director Divya Bhatia has said Rajasthan's artists have always been the festival's lodestone. This year, musicians from the Manganiyar, Langa, Meghwal, Bhopa, Kalbelia, Meena and Bhil communities perform alongside 120 young Langa and Manganiyar artists trained through the Mehrangarh Museum's Folk Futures programme.

The global lineup

Roots musicians are coming from countries including Colombia, Chile, Cabo Verde, Poland, Scotland and Estonia. Highlights include:

  1. Martha Redbone Roots Project, blending Appalachian roots, gospel, blues and Indigenous traditions.
  2. Rajasthani trio SAZ, continuing a conversation with Redbone that began at Lincoln Center in June.
  3. A collaboration between Poland's Cicha, who has worked to revive Tatar musical traditions, and Dangi, a hereditary keeper of Rajasthan's Rajwaadi Maand.
  4. First-time performers including rapper Dobby, duo Camila y Silvio and uilleann piper Michael McGoldrick.
  5. Returning favourite Emilia Lajunen, the Finnish fiddler.

Theatre for the first time

RIFF steps into spoken theatre in 2026 with Brhannala, Adishakti Theatre's movement-driven retelling of Arjuna's year in disguise from the Mahabharata.

Why Jodhpur RIFF matters

  1. It treats folk music as living, not as a museum piece. Traditional instruments are looped, sampled and paired with global sounds.
  2. It gives folk communities a world stage and a steady platform for young musicians.
  3. It shows that India's live music boom is not only about stadium pop. Regional and roots music has a passionate audience too.

The same is true on streaming, where regional artists are rising fast. Read about 12 of them at https://mediamarvels.in/blog/regional-indian-artists-to-know-2026.

Jodhpur RIFF 2026: FAQs

When is Jodhpur RIFF 2026? From 22 to 26 October 2026.

Where is Jodhpur RIFF held? At Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.

How much is a Jodhpur RIFF pass? Day passes cost Rs 7,300 and full festival passes Rs 17,800. The opening night was free.

What does RIFF stand for? Rajasthan International Folk Festival.

Why is RIFF held in October? It is timed to coincide with Sharad Purnima, the brightest full moon of the year.

Making folk or roots music? Take it beyond your region. Promote your music on Media Marvels at https://mediamarvels.in/promote.

Image: Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur. Photo via Wikimedia Commons, used under its free licence.