Stepping out of Bikaner airport, a wave of warm air greets us, signaling the start of an extraordinary journey. Our destination: Chattargarh, host to the eighth annual Rajasthan Kabir Yatra (RKY) 2025. This unique folk music festival, meticulously organized by the Malang Foundation and Bikaner’s district administration, runs annually from October 1st to 5th. It’s renowned as the longest traveling folk music festival, dedicated to dissolving the invisible wall between performers and their audience. Here, urban dwellers and international visitors immerse themselves as ‘yatris,’ savoring rustic life, traditional folk art, authentic cuisine, and rich local culture. Simultaneously, villagers engage with city-bred attendees, sparking a vibrant exchange of ideas, lifestyles, and time-honored traditions.
A captivating image of Padma Shri Kaluram Bamaniya, the renowned folk singer, deeply engrossed in his performance, a highlight of the Yatra.
While Kabir’s profound mysticism was central to the yatra, the festival vibrantly brought to life the works of other revered saint-poets, including Mirabai, Gorakhnath, Bulleh Shah, Amir Khusrau, and Shah Latif, all through the heartfelt renditions of folk artists. This spiritual journey truly embodied Kabir’s teachings by dismantling societal barriers of class, caste, and creed, transforming his philosophy into a tangible, shared experience. The five-day celebration was a whirlwind of artistic expression, featuring everything from spontaneous dance and soulful satsang sessions that opened each day, to powerful concerts by celebrated artists like Dayaram Saroliya, the Vasu Dixit Collective, Kabir Cafe, Rama Kumari of Kabir Folk Tapestry, Vedanth Bharadwaj, and Kaluram Bamaniya.
Throughout the performances, much of the audience swayed and danced with unbridled joy, akin to whirling dervishes, while local villagers took in the spectacles from their unique vantage points—perched on tractors and motorbikes. The vibrant energy and enthusiastic participation of the visitors left the residents utterly awestruck.
Vasu Dixit delivering an energetic and engaging performance on stage, captivating the audience with his unique musical style.
Gopal Singh Chauhan, the visionary behind the initiative, emphasized that the Rajasthan Kabir Yatra is fundamentally a community-driven festival. “Villagers are an indispensable part of this project, dedicating themselves wholeheartedly to all the arrangements,” he explained. “Their enthusiastic participation is what truly makes this event seamless and successful.”
Imagine a dusty field transformed into a magical, makeshift stage, adorned with sparkling lights, vibrant floral decorations, and a state-of-the-art sound system. Nearby, the aroma of authentic Rajasthani delicacies fills the air as villagers lovingly prepare dishes like gatte ki sabzi, kadi chawal, and panchratna dal. And of course, there’s a constant stream of refreshing, ginger-infused chai to warm everyone’s spirits.
A heartwarming scene illustrating how family tractors were creatively repurposed, serving as unique, elevated seating for the audience, effectively transforming into a rustic auditorium.
While many artists faithfully rendered mystic poetry in traditional folk styles, Karnataka’s own Vasu Dixit offered a delightful variation, including compositions by Purandaradasa. Kicking off his performance, Vasu candidly shared that his music brought a fresh sound, distinct from the folk melodies commonly heard in Rajasthan. He elucidated his use of modern orchestral arrangements, gently asking the audience to refrain from generalizing all South Indians as ‘Madrasis,’ reminding everyone, ‘South India is home to four diverse states, each boasting its own unique language, rich culture, and exquisite cuisine.’
Gopal elaborated on this artistic choice, explaining, ‘Vasu resonates deeply with our local audience, and showcasing his talent is our way of offering something truly special to the community.’ He also highlighted the festival’s inclusive approach: it remains entirely free for local residents, while international visitors, or ‘yatris,’ are required to register and contribute a fee. ‘This structure helps us manage the necessary logistics,’ he noted.
The enthusiastic crowd joyfully losing themselves in the music, spontaneously breaking into dance, a true reflection of the festival’s vibrant spirit.
Among the diverse group of ‘yatris’ were three bright students from the University of Osaka, Japan: Haruka Yamamoto, Serina Mori, and Michiko Tomida. Haruka shared her excitement, remarking, ‘We initially discovered the yatra in Japan, having attended the Osaka edition of RKY. But experiencing it here in Rajasthan, it’s truly immense!’
For Padma Shri Kaluram Bamaniya, a seasoned folk musician, the stage was an unexpected destiny. He honed his craft simply by listening to his father and grandfather sing, a testament to inherited talent. ‘To me, this yatra symbolizes the very journey of life,’ he shared, adding, ‘It’s a profound blessing to offer my music as a sacred prashad to all the yatris.’
A compelling portrait of folk singer Mooralala Marwada, whose soulful voice and traditional melodies added depth to the yatra’s musical tapestry.
Kaluram firmly believes that Kabir’s timeless wisdom resonates even more powerfully in today’s world. ‘The yatra itself embodies these principles,’ he explained. ‘Regardless of musical form, instrument, or language, it aims to convey the profound essence and raw emotions of the mystic poets, uniting everyone in a celebration of humanity.’ During one memorable impromptu morning session, he performed ‘Mann mast hua fir kya bole,’ subtly imparting lessons on taming the restless mind, interwoven with personal stories. This was followed by more of Kabir’s evocative verses, including ‘Dheere dheere gaadi hanko mere ram…’ and ‘Satguru ne mera bharam tod diya.’ The spirit of the mystic poet continued to permeate the morning as Purushottam Kaka, seated beneath a grand tree, serenaded a small, captivated group of yatris with ‘Prem nagar matt ja musafir’.
Mir Usman Ali, a distinguished artist from Mir Razak Ali’s ensemble, delivering a mesmerizing performance that showcases the rich musical heritage of the region.
A truly refreshing highlight was the ‘Kabir in Qawwali’ performance by Mehfil-e-Sama’a. Hailing from Kerala, a member of the group charmingly began by apologizing for his limited Hindi. Yet, he immediately captivated the audience with his flawless renditions in pure Hindi and Urdu. Their set commenced with a devotion-filled song dedicated to Krishna, ‘Kanhaiya yaad hai kuch bhi hamari,’ offering a unique and deeply moving experience of traditional bhajans delivered in the soulful qawwali style.
Every performance at the yatra held its own magic, but Vedanth Bharadwaj’s voice left an indelible impression. Standing apart from artists who utilized traditional folk or modern instruments, Vedanth performed with just his guitar. His rendition of ‘Suno bhai sadho’ resonated through the air like a direct, powerful clarion call from Kabir himself, touching the very soul of the listeners.