Tarnetar Fair
Where: Tarnetar, Saurasthra, Gujarat
When: September 1-4, 2019
The Tarnetar Fair lets you free-fall into a whirlwind of colours, music and culture. The fair is a celebration of Gujarat’s ethnic features. With folk-dance, music, costumes and arts, forming a base, designed to bring together young tribal men and women seeking a spouse for a fun gathering. For visitors, the excitement and colours are captivating. Every year the popularity of the fair only seems to grow, attracting visitors from India and abroad.
The many colourful costumes, glittering ornaments and free-spirited movements of folk dances, all combine to create a memorable scene. Watch the Rabari women of nearby Zalawad perform the famous circular folk dance called Rahado. Numerous religious music groups come together to create a festive ambience by singing continuously, accompanied by folk instruments. The Tarnetar Mela, staged on the last day, covers a large part of the Tarnetar village and features stalls retailing local handicraft, ethnic jewellery, statues of deities and traditional apparel embellished with tiny mirrors.
A RIOT OF COLOURS: Tarnetar Fair is an old and unique festival held in Saurashtra.
RAJASTHAN INTERNATIONAL FOLK FESTIVAL (RIFF)
Where: Jodhpur, Rajasthan
When: October 10-14, 2019
Rajasthan International Folk Festival (RIFF) is a five-day-long festival, bringing together global and national artists to showcase a fusion of Indian and international music. RIFF has been endorsed by the UNESCO as the ‘People’s platform for creativity and Sustainable Development’. Acclaimed for its enriching soundscapes in picturesque settings, RIFF offers a contemporary experience of rustic cadence. RIFF, in its 12th edition, combines the charm and serenity of Jodhpur, an unbeatable setting at the Mehrangarh Fort, versatile programming and innumerable personal touches to make it a retreat for those with music in their veins.
The artist line-up this year includes: Sumitra and Ghavari devi, Kachchara Khan (vocals), Lakha Khan (sarangi), Daniel Hamar’s Muzikas, Vikku Vinayakram (ghatam) and Ballake Sissoko (kora); original Rajasthani collaborations with Irish musicians and Armenians Valeri Tolstov and Emmanuel Hovhannisyan; sensational performances by Pushkar Lele, Bir Singh, LiNDiGo, Yissy Garcia and Afrobeat super-DJ Jose Marquez.
