The majestic Nahargarh Palace in Sawai Madhopur is all set to host the first ever Ranthambore Festival from January 27 to 29. The festival aims to showcase two of Rajasthan’s best gems—folk art and dance and wildlife—on a scale that hasn’t been witnessed before. While most festivals celebrate the state’s tapestry of folk music and dance, Ranthambore Festival will be the first one to highlight the importance of preservation of these art forms, along with focusing on nature conservation.
This exciting weekend promises exhilarating music and dance performances on moonlit nights, an open-air wildlife film festival that will also feature a few Indian films that have won the Green Oscars, tiger safaris, wellness camps and a pop-up souk amongst others—all against the backdrop of the breathtaking palace.
Renowned artists such as Mallika Sarabhai and Ustad Ma Zila Khan will be performing at the festival. Maati Baani, Neeraj Arya’s Kabir Café, Karl Lutchmayer and Fabrizio Cassol are some of the other artists who are set to share the stage with around 35 exceptionally talented Rajasthani folk artists who have been selected from across the state to perform at the festival. The Puqaar Open Air Amphitheatre, which was built specifically for the festival, will witness several preservation and music appreciation workshops and panel discussions.
The festival is a non-profit initiative; hence the access to it is open and free of cost. However, you can book the residential all access pass which starts at ₹12,000 for a stay of three days and guarantees reserved seating, exclusive access to the inner palace, exclusive concerts, drum circles and heritage walks. A variety of accommodation options are available suiting all budgets; you can book your tickets on https://in.bookmyshow.com/special/ranthambore-festival/festival.