The rooms in India
Magnetic Fields Festival
Three days inside a 17th-century Rajasthani palace. The courtyards become stages, the ramparts become viewing platforms, peacocks walk the lineup. It runs each December.
Mehrangarh Fort
Mehrangarh is a fort founded in 1459 by Rao Jodha, rising about 122 metres above the plains of Jodhpur in Rajasthan. Managed by the Mehrangarh Museum Trust, it is also a concert venue.
NCPA Mumbai (Tata Theatre)
India's first multi-venue arts centre, opened 1969 on Nariman Point.
Ziro Festival of Music
Four days in the Ziro Valley of Arunachal Pradesh. Open-field stages, indigenous Apatani village hosting, terraced rice paddies as backdrop. September.
Planning a trip
Hearing music in India
Each room suits a different traveller. Ziro Festival of Music is for those who want camping and village life, with indie, folk and Apatani traditional music on two open-field stages; stay in a homestay and walk the paddies at dawn. Magnetic Fields suits electronic fans, with palace courtyards as stages and the smaller South Stage as the discovery floor. Mehrangarh is for Rajasthani folk, including Manganiyar and Langa musicians. The NCPA in Mumbai is for seated listening, with Hindustani classical in the 960-seat Tata Theatre and Friday jazz in the Experimental Theatre.
Dates spread across the year. Ziro runs four days over the last weekend of September. Jodhpur RIFF follows the Sharad Purnima full moon, and the 2026 edition runs 22 to 26 October. The World Sacred Spirit Festival at the fort was last confirmed for 14 to 16 February 2025, with no 2026 edition confirmed. Magnetic Fields takes three days in early December. The NCPA season runs October to February, with reduced programming in summer. At Mehrangarh, check what each pass covers.
For Ziro, fly to Guwahati (GAU) or Lilabari (IXI); it is ten hours overland from Guwahati, six from Lilabari, and Arunachal Pradesh permits are required. For Magnetic Fields, fly to Jaipur (JAI) or Delhi (DEL); Alsisar is 200 km north of Jaipur, and shuttles run on the opening day. Jodhpur Airport is about 6 km from the fort. In Mumbai, the NCPA is a ten-minute walk from Churchgate station.
FAQ
Questions people ask
When is Jodhpur RIFF at Mehrangarh Fort?
Jodhpur RIFF is timed to Sharad Purnima, usually in October. The 2026 edition, the 20th, runs 22 to 26 October in and around the fort. Check what each pass covers, as events have had separate tickets.
How do you get to the Ziro Festival of Music?
Fly to Guwahati (GAU) or Lilabari (IXI). It is about ten hours overland from Guwahati or six from Lilabari. Arunachal Pradesh permits are required, and the festival helps with applications. Apatani homestays are the suggested place to stay.
What is the best time to hear classical music at the NCPA Mumbai?
October to February, the post-monsoon dry season, when the Hindustani classical season runs at the Tata Theatre. Programming continues to May, and Friday NCPA After Hours jazz is held at the Experimental Theatre.