Rajasthan RIFF festival

Photos from Jodhpur are here:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=147058&id=771224918&l=fcc63b18bb

The journey from Jammu was a long one taking nearly 24 hours - I was never totally convinced I was on the right platform let alone the right train as all the signs were in Hindi - luckily I ended up sharing a berth with some really nice lads from Ahmedabad who assured me that "yes it was the Jodhpur train". The thing with sleeper class is that although only 6 of you have the berths for the night - during the day more and more people will cram on the seats - not the most comfy ride as a very lardy arsed man got on at Jadlander city and spread his legs - personally I think they should have a bottom measurer and any larger than a certain size they have to buy two tickets - I just get fed up of being squashed into a corner!

The guys were really nice even going out to buy me water (wouldn't taken any money as well) and putting my bunk up for me to make me a bit more comfortable. I did wake up at one point to find a small Sikh child feet were in my face - you just can't leave any space on your bed or someone will jump in it - luckily they got out half way through the night. The train was two hours late arriving in Jodhpur and the heat just hit you - bit problematic as I lost my map last time I was there so just avoided the rickshaws guys at the station (anywhere for 10 rupees - okay Jaisalmer...New Delhi...didn't think so!) and walked up the road till I found someone to take me to a 300 rupee hotel in the old town for a proper rate. The were a bit stupid at the hotel as first they showed me a 600 rupee room - what bit of 300r don't you get - though fair does to the place the room I eventually got was a bargain for the size of it and really nice.

Finding out about the Riff Festival wasn't too easy as I went to the Tourist Office and they knew nothing - more interested in their own Marwar festival. It is probably the only time I've ever been tempted to cross the line into a Macdonalds as I was so hot walking back - lovely piccy of ice cold Coke on the window - but I resisted and ended up flaking out a bit on the floor of the beer shop as the bloke poured me a glass of water. Finally found out about the festival the following day up at the fort - then I couldn't decide who I wanted to see - decision, decisions - in the end went to free concert in the evening at Jaswant Thanda. It was really beautiful as the musicians played to a backdrop of the fort and sunset - the only downside being the big cameras - I just wish that would sit down and listen to the music instead of wafting about in front of me to take photos that no one will ever see.

Next day I awoke to the mad sounds of camels and music coming past the front door of the hotel - it was the start of the Marwar festival - people danced on floats and musicians played. Decided to head along to the stadium for the afternoons festivities but made the mistake of calling by the tourist office again to ask where it was - I honestly don't think the guy could read his own crappy map as he marked the wrong place so ended up on a real frustrating walk through a park and the back streets of Jodhpur - only found the place by accident after a couple of guys had directed me onto a building site opposite. Immediately bumped into Spice Boy (a guy who had been hassling me for a couple of days to go into his spice shop for a cup of tea after he found me a chocolate shop) and I did find preceedings a bit hard to follow as it was all Hindi - not a criticism though because it was rather nice as free tea and biccies were being handed out. Stayed for the turban tying, best moustache and best dressed Rajastani which turned into into a bit of a Miss World competition "world peace etc" questions - well I am guessing the last bit.

Evening time it was up to the fort to see Ustad Sultan Khan - the worlds foremost sarangi player - maybe I had seen him before not sure - he wasn't very well and had to be helped on stage (it turned out later that he had cancelled all his performances apart from this one due to ill health). The surroundings were really atmospheric in a courtyard at the back of the fort with the bright full moon rising above. I was really impressed with the singer not sure of his name but I did enjoy the concert - though some people next to me were taking it a little too seriously wittering on about how the didn't like the combination of the two styles - classical and folk. The second half was musicians from the Langa community who were great especially the young boys who sang - I sat at the back by the walls which was a bit less heavy with the music critique but what I didn't realise was that I was sat next to the VIP area - no idea who were they were but folk were coming up and asking for photos.

Last act of the night were a strange group - school teachers from Chicago called Mr Chicago Folk - secretly I was hoping we might have had a set from Micky J (patron) but it was not to be. The acoustics weren't great in the small courtyard where they played - but where the sound lacked they made up for in energy and soon had everybody up jumping around dancing to songs like Pinball Wizard, Twist and Shout and Minnie the Moucher - brilliant night and bless the rickshaw driver didn't rip me off too much for the ride back.

It was a real shame every morning I was too knackered to get up to see Sunrise Morning Blues at 5.45am which sounded great. Evening time it was Flamenco night with Antonio Rey and Ferruco - the sand whirled around the courtyard and Antonio did struggle a bit with his hair but his guitar playing was amazing - it was only marred by these muppets next to me (posh English) who sat drinking wine, chatting whilst he played and then overdoing the wooing when he finished - a classic sign of paying bugger all attention to the music. Well flamenco had certainly changed - I was expecting frilly dresses and a black hat a la Benidorm 1978 (yes I know I'm a bit stupid at times) - Ferrucco was dressed moodily in jeans and black shirt and was good but I'm not real a tap person (all those years of watching Roy Castle on Record Breakers put me off) - what I didn't realise that flamenco originated in Rajastan hence the strong links that Spain had with the festival.

Last act of the night was a percussionist Sivamani who was brill and managed to get everybody up and dancing and played an amazing array of instruments including a suitcase and a water bottle - still he seemed to get a good sound out of them. I managed to get down to the front with my crap camera excuse - it was a great atmosphere and I was really sorry when it all had to end. The only thing I didn't like was all the filming on camera phones, some people are so obsessed with taking photos etc that they are not really listening to the music - just find it a bit intrusive at times.

I really love Jodhpur - maybe its the fort overlooking the city - when I was little I had a jigsaw of India with that on, to me it always looked so mysterious and romantic overlooking the desert - I never ever imagined one day I would go there not once but twice now. Or maybe its the people in the old town I always had a laugh and joke with the guys in the water and coke shop about the fact I didn't want to look at their carpets - just water,coke and chocolate that's all I'm interested in. Whatever it is Jodhpur remains one of my favourite places in India and I was really sorry to leave the following day in to the desert for Jaisalmer - The Golden City.