Mumbai-based Divya Bhatia, who is director of the Rajasthan International Folk Festival (RIFF), sees music in its purest form without any commercial trappings, says Amrita Ganguly Salian
He has the soul of a musician and is vocal about the forcible urbanisation and the 'packaging' of folk culture. Divya Bhatia, the man behind the Rajasthan International Folk Festival, is passionate in his belief that Rajasthani musicians are not meant to define success via Bollywood "numbers" or restrictive recording studios. They perform with their voice, hands, eyes and soul and that should never be reined in, says the festival director for whom music is a way of life.
That's the vision that underscores the festival, gearing up for its eighth edition in the spectacular setting of Jodhpur's Mehrangarh Fort. This organically devised platform for Rajasthani musicians has grown in stature over the years and has been formally included amongst the leading international music festivals in the world. Many an inspired performances later and with patronage from the likes of Gaj Singh II of Marwar-Jodhpur and Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones, the splendour of RIFF reiterates the scope of India's cultural heritage on the global arena.
The organisers call the event a "heady mix of rustic riffs, root textures, contemporary arrangements and global rhythms" and it is not difficult to imagine given the festival director's repertoire and passion. With interests ranging from theatre, music, curation, reiki and more, Mumbai-based Bhatia has shaped notable city-based and venue-based festivals like those organised at Prithvi, NCPA, Kala Ghoda and Bandra. Having been a part of the Jaipur Virasat Foundation – a heritage trust founded by John and Faith Singh that works with artists in Rajasthan and has pioneered a unique approach to livelihood generation – Bhatia sees music in the purest form, without the trappings of commerce or marketing gimmicks.
The ongoing work of the foundation is aimed at generating new opportunities for the large number of musicians with inherited skills and traditional knowledge. Amongst many feathers in its cap, the foundation has helped artists and their collaborations to be invited to perform at the Forde Festival (Norway), the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and the upcoming music expo WOMEX in Spain. A tour to Australia is on the agenda early next year.
This year the line-up is stellar. The five-day long festival will see musicians as diverse as those from the Manganiyar community and flamenco guitarist Damien Wright perform. Against the silver glow of the moon and the romance of the sand dunes, this will be a tryst with Rajasthan's living heritage – its musicians and singers.
The idea is to not consume culture 'packaged' in homogenised tetrapaks, but to take it in with all of one's senses. And that is exactly what festival director Bhatia would want you to do.
About the festival
Jodhpur RIFF is a not-for-profit partnership project involving two of India's leading heritage trusts, the Mehrangarh Museum Trust (MMT) and the Jaipur Virasat Foundation (JVF). This year, the festival, which coincides with Sharad Purnima, the brightest full moon, will be held from October 8-12 at the grand Mehrangarh Fort in the 'blue city' of Jodhpur. The event has been endorsed by UNESCO as a Peoples' Platform for Creativity and Sustainable Development. Check http://www.jodhpurriff.org/ for more information.
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