Music, crafts, and history: Highlights from the Jaigarh Heritage Festival

The historic walls of Jaigarh Fort came alive this weekend with the sound of Rajasthani folklore and sights of traditional handicraft pieces as thousands of visitors arrived to attend the second edition of the Jaigarh Heritage Festival.

Kickstarting the festival with his soulful music, Hullas Purohit set the tone for the inaugural ceremony. Sawai Padmanabh Singh, head of the Kachhwaha clan, the former royal family of the Jaipur State, highlighted the festival’s vision for preserving Rajasthan’s heritage through artistic expression and community engagement.

As visitors stepped foot inside the venue, they were greeted by the key addresses of the day in Sambat Niwas, while a select group of artisans and musicians remained engrossed in their work, interacting with curious visitors and trying to sell their pieces.

Many quickly made their way to the Craft Bazaar, where visitors were greeted by an embroidered silhouette of a woman in Rajasthani attire. The entire space was filled with home-grown merchandise vendors selling traditional clothing, jewellery and home decor items with the famous Rajasthani prints.

From bouquets of small hand-knit flowers to jute jackets with Indian designs, ethnic designs with modern styles dominated the space.

At the centre of the venue, kids got face paintings done under a tree’s shadow, while a couple of men demonstrated the craft of stone carving with some signature pieces.

While the unique Rajsthani music and handicraft garner interest at festivals across the country, workshops like the Khartal workshop with Chugge Khan, Nagada Workshop by Nathoo Lal Solanki, a miniature painting masterclass by the Dhola Maru Art Gallery and a puppet-making workshop by Puppetshala gave them a chance to try their hands on various art forms.

The afternoons also featured a series of conversations, including ‘Sporting the crown – Royalty in the Indian game and ‘The living wells of Rajasthan’.

The story-telling session on ‘Echoes of Rajasthan’ by Laksh Maheshwari was a major hit as he took the audience on a journey of folk tales from Rajasthan. A kathak performance by Rashmi Uppal left the audience mesmerised, paving the way for a much-awaited musical evening.

The Kabir Café’s high-energy act enlightened the mood, while Papon’s live performance was the spotlight of the evening, rounding off an engaging and culturally rich first day of the festival.

On the second day, visitors were greeted at the gate by the music of Shyopat Julia’s Mashak. Every time Shyopat Julia played his Mashak, visitors would gather around him, captivated by the engrossing tunes, no matter how many times they caught his glimpse.

The day opened on a meditative note with a performance by Pandit Mohan Shyam Sharma, supported by the Dagar Archives Museum. Dr Giles Tillotson and Dr Mrinalini Venkateswaran spoke about painting and photography in the Jaipur court, while the afternoon sessions shifted towards the history and politics of Rajasthan.

The soulful performances by Shahzad & Sakil Khan entertained the audience with Rajasthan’s rich folk music, while Divyam x Khwaab and One Size Fits All by Soumik Datta performed more contemporary pieces.

The festival continued its strong focus on traditional craftsmanship through sessions presented by Vedanta, including the Karigar Spotlight on Artisan Patchwork, Dariya Devi and the Uthori Street Play.

Sanjoy K Roy and Arundhati Nath's session on 'Otherworldly Chronicles' transported the packed room of audience members back to their childhood memories of hearing ghost stories from their grandparents.

Manganiyar Seduction by Roysten Abel, the thunderous beats of Nagadas by Nathoo Lal Solanki and the performance of Princely States Dub Orchestra perfectly concluded the evening as curtains closed on the celebration of Jaipur’s heritage.

Throughout the two days, visitors also enjoyed various delicacies at the bustling Food Gully at Vilas Mandir.

Visitors, inadvertently, also found themselves exploring the gigantic fort, while the sunset offered picturesque views against the royal backdrop. Besides the historic arms and shields of the Rajput rulers, visitors were most fascinated by the Jaivana cannon. Sitting in its glory, the 18th-century cannon is said to require a 100 kg cannonball for firing, which has only been fired once.

As the only major fort that still wrests with the royal family of Jaipur and has faced the most neglect, curating a heritage festival here seemed like the perfect way to reconnect people with the historic monument and encourage conservation efforts, says Sanjoy K Roy, Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, when asked why they picked the Jaigarh Fort.

“We have always received so much love at the Jaipur Literature Festival, the Jaigarh Heritage Festival was our way of giving back to the city,” says Sammohan Mathodia, who is the co-producer of the festival along with Avik Roy.