Basically, Jodhpur RIFF evolved out of the Jaipur Virasat Festival. One segment of that was music. The Mehrangarh Museum Trust would sponsor the music segment because most of the musicians came from Marwar. Then John and Faith Singh, who were the architects of the Jaipur Virasat Festival, felt that it would be a good idea to have a festival in Jodhpur itself. Two things came out of this — one was Jodhpur RIFF, and the other was the Jaipur Literature Festival. These two things have remained. The main objective of Jodhpur RIFF is to give a platform to our musicians, to support them to earn their livelihood with a sense of dignity and pride and also showcase their talents along with other musicians from India and overseas.

They are not just performers; they are custodians of heritage passed down from father to son. Whenever our musicians go up on stage, they get the loudest cheers. Through RIFF, they get exposure and recognition. They have visiting cards and mobile phones. They get invited to music festivals and private events not only in India but all over the world. This is encouraging for them.

It seemed that the decline of patronage from royal families and jagirdars after India’s independence would cause these traditions to fade away but tourism has given them a new lease of life. Tourism has its pros and cons. On the one hand, performance opportunities help musicians earn. But, on the other hand, catering to popular tastes and Bollywood influences can make things repetitive for musicians and also compromise on their authenticity. Their repertoire is much vaster. Our next phase will be to support them to create fresh music.

How does Jodhpur RIFF boost tourism and contribute to the economy of Rajasthan?

RIFF helps to promote Jodhpur and, by extension, Rajasthan, as a destination. People are excited to come here and go back with happy memories. The hotels are always full at this time of the year. There are people who have come to the festival multiple times.

How is Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones involved with the festival?

He is a friend of mine. I had requested him to be a patron of the festival, and he agreed. He has been to two festivals so far. He took part and even danced with the audience. With his schedule, it is not possible to have him join us for the festival every year.

What can other forts in India learn from the experience of Mehrangarh?

People can learn a lot. In my opinion, not every heritage property has to be turned into a hotel. You can have museums. You can host music festivals. You can build cultural centres. You can set up educational institutions. You can also have a combination of all these. The idea is to create and offer something that will make people want to come back.

What is being done to encourage young folk musicians to continue with traditional music and keep it alive?

It is important to explore how they can be relevant to the local populace, and not depend only on tourism. When we plan the itinerary for Jodhpur RIFF, we always have a Bal Mela (children’s fair) and a city concert on the first day to encourage locals to participate in large numbers. Financial insecurities need to be addressed because musicians have to sustain themselves. If they wish to go to cities, and explore opportunities in Bollywood, that is understandable but they must not forget their roots so that the authenticity of their music always stays with them.

What, for you, is the difference between corporate sponsorship and royal patronage?

The system of patronage revolves around long-lasting relationships. The Langas and the Manganiyars, for instance, are attached to certain families. They appear without being asked on important occasions; for instance, when there is a marriage in the family or when a child is born. They join in the celebrations. This familial connection is not there in corporate sponsorship, which tends to be event-specific and is also restricted to financial support.

You spoke about musical traditions being passed down from father to son. What needs to be done to encourage girls and women to find their own place and shine?

Different communities have different traditions and norms. Some permit girls and women to sing, but not dance in public. Sometimes, people from different communities perform together. Langas, for example, team up with Kalbeliyas. We have had music workshops for girls from the Langa community, and they were permitted by families.

What kind of music did you listen to as a child? How did that change over time?

I grew up listening to film music thanks to my mother, and classical music because of my father. When I went abroad, I developed a liking for pop music and jazz.

How did your career as a diplomat in the Caribbean shape your musical tastes?

Trinidad has a strong and vibrant culture of music. It seems that the people there don’t walk, they dance. They also have carnivals, which are very participatory and colourful. I enjoyed listening to different bands. While I was serving as the Indian High Commissioner, my wife and I went to carnivals. We had a wonderful time immersing ourselves in the culture, and mingling with the people. We found the clothes revealing, so we chose modest ones.

Your wide exposure to international music is also reflected in the programming of Jodhpur RIFF. While the festival is growing, what are the challenges that it is facing? What kind of government support could the festival benefit from?

One of the challenges, as you pointed out, is really urgent to address. Young musicians are drifting away because they have to earn their bread, and do not have enough opportunities to perform. These opportunities need to be created so that they have things to do, to feel not only relevant but also respected and rewarded for their choice to continue and to keep their music alive. Another challenge has to do with intellectual property rights. We have to figure out how to help them and protect their right to earn from intangible heritage.

The government has an important role. When it provides recognition to folk singers through a Padma Shri award, that is very encouraging for them. It increases the demand for their music. The government can also invite them more often to perform in their own functions and festivals It is already sending folk singers on foreign tours. It could do more of this.

Another challenge is that the Rajasthani language is not officially recognized in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India. There are many advantages associated with this kind of recognition. Rajasthani is a much older language than Gujarati. Our literature is so rich! But somehow the recognition has not come through. How can culture survive without language?

Chintan Girish Modi is a freelance writer, journalist and book reviewer.