The land of mystic music and breathtaking palaces and miles and miles of desert land, Rajasthan is not only the abode of kings but also of regal culture. And music festivals have been a great agent in preserving the culture of the land while also familiarizing upcoming generations with the rhythms and beats of the desert. Rajasthan has a magnificent repertoire when it comes to music festivals. There is no dearth of splendid palatial mansions for forming settings to the celebration of art, culture and togetherness. Nor is their any dearth of original indigenous talent. No wonder several music festivals on a national scale take place in this huge western state of the country.
Lets start with the magnificent and most popular destination of Rajasthan, Udaipur. Presenting itself on picture postcards for nostalgia as well as sheltering star weddings in its splendid havelis and mansions, Udaipur also rocks the scene when it comes to music fests. Udaipur World Music Festival is the world renowned fest that sees 17 countries and over 150 artists taking the center stage for melody.The festival chooses for its organization the month of February, when magical winter fogs of the desert and wedding lights all around the fortresses breathe life into Udaipur. The festival sees a footfall of around 50,000 people. The festival however has seen only two conceptualizations in the years 2016 and 2017. The 2016 edition saw an ensemble cast of musicians all over the globe. Indie fusion artists like Sonam Kalra and The Sufi Gospel Project and The Raghu Dixit Project were among the coveted few.
Coming to ongoing festivals, Magnetic Fields is one such fest in Rajasthan that can’t go unnamed. It is the topmost in terms of popularity when it comes to contemporary art and music festivals. It is the most happening in terms of range and diversity of festival fashion, food, beats and performances witnessed. Taking place each year in the Alsisar Mahal of Rajasthan, the location is breathtakingly splendid. The festival showcases futuristic conceptualizations with the post popular and underground performers featuring onto the list of performers. It is a spectacle to behold! The 17th century palace in the heart of Rajasthan gets filled up with rad lighting and rave beats as the audiences swamp into a mad frenzied celebration of sheet beats and rhythm. The festival is also known for its secretive afterparties. This one too has a winter timing during peak December.
Give the land of kings and palaces a go if you wish to enjoy beats swaddled in legacy and heritage come alive during the winters.
