Music has been bringing joy to the people ever since the first time somebody made a beat. Thankfully, we have the luxury of listening to, and even creating, music right in our homes on a screen. However, live music with a ton of people who share the passion has a different vibe altogether. This passion is seen in bundles at music festivals and India is home to a lot of great ones. Want to check them out? Here are the best music festivals in India!
6 Music Festivals In India
1. Sunburn
Focused towards the more modern forms of music like EDM, House, Trap, and the likes, this festival has been the epicenter of a lot of people’s plans while visiting Goa. Since 2017, Sunburn has been celebrating budding artists and their music along with the ones that pioneered the scene.
Sunburn is a 3-day festival that usually takes place in Goa. They did move to Pune from 2016 to 2018, but came back home right after. Their events are known for how larger than life they can be. Multiple stages that boast of SFX, pyrotechnics, laser shows, and a lineup of the biggest music celebrities worldwide are complemented by a professional water-sports team and some of the yummiest food in Goa.
The extravagant nature of this festival has given it quite some cred with fans of electronic music worldwide. While it is called a ‘music’ festival, Sunburn is much more than just that. Generally, Sunburn is held near New Year’s Eve, making it an amazing way to end a year.
2. NH7 Weekender
One of the most famous music festivals in India, the NH7 Weekender has been sweeping people off of their feet for more than a decade. This Indie music festival started its journey in Pune as a three day event, before reaching places like Delhi NCR, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Shillong.
OML, the parent company of the Weekender, is known for organizing kick-ass festivals with impeccable amenities. Everything from the information booths to the washrooms, health centers, security, and of course, music is top-notch, and the guests seldom have any complaints. Some credit also goes to the fact that they have now made a very clear emphasis on women’s safety, recycling, and maintaining the highest standards of fun.
Coming to the music, the lineup generally includes artists from regional, folk, rock, metal, and indie genres. You will find some of the most famous artists in the country performing with the newest and craziest. You might have to camp in line for the tickets. But, it’s worth it!
3. Music In The Hills
Music In The Hills is arguably the biggest independent music festival in India. Independent, meaning that it is sponsored by the people who attend the festival, making it the one spot where you will find the most passionate people.
This festival is known to emphasize three things: good music, great people, and the best locations. Generally held in different hilly areas across the country, Music In The Hills has a certain affinity towards North India. They moved out to the sand dunes of Rajasthan only recently, with the aim of performances happening against the sandy backdrop of the desert.
This music festival isn’t publicized. You won’t see any advertisements for it anywhere. So, the crowd that does congregate for the event is the kind of crowd you want to attend a music festival with. One thing that sets this music festival a few notches above others is that the artists and the guests share their living space, taking the celebrity-guest barrier away and giving everybody the opportunity to interact with each other.
4. Ziro Festival Of Music
Ziro Festival of Music gets its name from the town it is native to – Ziro in the beautiful northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. It is an open air event that showcases independent music from national and international artists. All arrangements are done by the Apatani people, who are native to Ziro.
The festival grounds are made with eco-friendly materials that are sourced locally. Usually, there are two stages in the festival. One is called Donyi(Sun), and the second one is called Polo(Moon). This part of the festival takes inspiration from the Donyi Polo faith of the tribes in Arunachal Pradesh. Ziro Festival also has a zero plastic policy, meaning they do not use any sort of single-use plastics and encourage the guests to do the same.
One more factor that is unique to this festival is the journey to get here. The closest airport is about 140 km away and the nearest railhead is about 100 km away. From either point, you have to hail a bus or a cab to the village. This journey takes you through some very scenic routes, making your journey just that much more memorable.
5. Bangalore Open Air
Bangalore Open Air is the only music festival in India that is dedicated to Heavy Metal. It started off in 2012 with the sole vision of giving Indian metalheads a music festival that they can call their own.
A short while after its inception, the organizers of this festival started working with Wacken Open Air, a renowned heavy metal event that is also host to Wacken Metal Battle. Bangalore Open Air also hosts the Indian leg of the international band contest for Wacken Open Air. The act that wins the Indian leg gets an opportunity to perform in Wacken, a village in Germany that gives its name to the heavy metal event.
Bangalore Open Air is known to have organization and amenities on par with the events and festivals held in Europe, giving the heavy metalheads the top-notch experience. It’s no wonder this festival attracts guests as well as artists from all over the world.
6. Jodhpur RIFF(Rajasthan International Folk Festival)
For the last 15 years, Jodhpur Rajasthan International Folk Festival has been making the floors of Mehrangarh Fort shake with impeccable lineups. This festival sees more than 3,00,000 guests every year that come to see about 350 artists from all over the country, and 900 more from all around the world.
This festival celebrates music in its truest form across genres like jazz, regional, classical, indegenous, and reggae. It takes place in October, around the brightest full moon night in North India and sees the newest artists as well as some legendary ones.
Some of the very well known artists to perform include, but aren’t limited to, Shubha Mudgal, Jeff Lang, Lakha Khan, Wouter Kellerman, and Manu Chao. Moreover, the International Patron of Jodhpur RIFF is none other than the rock legend Mick Jagger. This dawn-to-dawn event takes the experience of live music to a different level by letting the guests attend the different performances in a ‘desert lounge’, a spot where all the guests gather in the cold desert air and watch musicians perform against the backdrop of the Mehrangarh Fort.
Summing Up
To a lot of us, music is a sacred experience that we hold close to our hearts. Moreover, the culture of India is such that you will find music being a part of everything important throughout history. Thankfully, we have the luxury of witnessing a lot of festivals that are dedicated to specific genres, giving us the opportunity to explore a genre and fall in love to no end. This blog is a very small example of the humongous music scene in India and has some festivals that we’re sure you will want to visit.
FAQs
Which Is The Biggest Music Festival In India?
Sunburn Music Festival is the largest festival in India, and likely in Asia.
Why Is Music Important To Indian Culture?
In many cultures and subcultures throughout the country, dance and music are considered to be gifts from God. Due to this, both of them hold a considerable significance in cultural as well as religious terms.
Where Do Most Concerts/Music Festivals Happen In India?
Goa, Pune, Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan, Bangalore, and Mumbai are places in India where a majority of music festivals and concerts happen in India.
Are Music Festivals Worth Attending?
Absolutely! Music festivals give you the chance to get away from our everyday lives and jump into the world of music, genre by genre.
What Is The Difference Between A Music Festival And A Concert?
A concert is typically a one-day event, while a music festival will cover a few days. Typically, a festival lasts three to a week.
Which Is The Largest Music Festival Throughout History?
The Woodstock Festival. It was supposed to be a three-day rock festival that turned into the most famous and largest music event ever. It became known as a symbol of the hippie movement of the 1960s.
