8 best Indian music festivals for travelers

India may not have a festival season, but it sure has a festival scene

By Jhilmil Motihar 17 November, 2011

Blasting off this weekend, Bacardi NH7 Weekender is the best organized indie music festival in the country -- with top-notch production quality and 50 artists in the lineup.

An elusive experience till a few years ago, the Indian music festival is fast putting down roots all over the country.
On the beach, in the hills, under a banyan tree, inside a fort –- the sounds are emanating loud and clear.
Here are some of our favorite Indian music festivals worth traveling for:

1. Bacardi NH7 Weekender in Pune

When: November 18-20, 2011, 2:30-10 p.m., daily

Where: Laxmi Lawns, near Magarpatta City, Pune

Thanks to top-notch production quality and an exciting lineup, artists and audiences agree that the three-day NH7 Weekender is the best organized indie music festival in the country.
“The people that come to the festival are hardened music lovers, it’s excellent to play for this kind of an audience,” says Swarathma bassist Jishnu Dasgupta.
In its sophomore year, the festival is the brainchild of Only Much Louder.
Some 10,000 people are expected to find a spot in the sprawling seven-hectare space for this year's festival.
“Music and lineup aside, the organizers take care of small things," says Tapan Raj, one half of live electronic act MIDIval Punditz. "Security is great, girls don’t feel unsafe, ambulances, appropriate information, toilets, food, drinks, it's all there."
The 50-artist-strong festival has become the place for the best performers from the country, across all genres: The Raghu Dixit Project, Demonic Resurrection, Tough On Tobacco, Bhayanak Maut, Indian Ocean and Pentagram all played in 2010 representing a mix of rock, metal, indie and ethnic fusion.
Some of acts return to the stage this year while newer additions such as Advaita, Soulmate and Menwhopause cut their teeth.
How to get there: The venue is a 15-minute drive from Koregaon Park in Pune. Traffic willing, the drive from Mumbai takes about three hours.
Pune has a fully functional airport. The city is best navigated by car. No festival transport is provided.
Tickets start at Rs 750 for one day and Rs 2,000 for a three-day festival pass.
Check out the NH7 Weekender for more information.

2. Fireflies Festival of Music

When: November 26, 2011 

Where: Fireflies Ashram, near Bangalore

Mumbai band Something Relevant performing at the Fireflies Festival of Music in 2011.

Akshath Jitendranath and Ananda Siddhartha were just 11 years old when they first put together what is now called the Fireflies Festival.
They were guided by Siddhartha’s father, a trustee of the Fireflies Ashram. They drew the posters, made press kits and distributed them in Bangalore.
“We started calling it Fireflies only in 2007, which is also when we started printing posters,” says Akshath.
What started as a dusk-to-dawn commune of musicians, performers and audiences coming together drew 5,000 people last year.
“That is what a good festival is -- it starts small, attracts the people who understand its vibe and grows not because it’s an advertized event, so it grows organically,” says writer, music aficionado and CNNGo contributor Rayna Jhaveri.
On a single stage, set up under the overarching branches of an ancient banyan tree, artists perform from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Though concert-friendly bands have made appearances, the Fireflies calling card remains its eclectic soul.
Chennai band Yodhakaa, Dollu Kunitha, Lounge Piranha and The Bicycle Days have all seen the sun come up behind the banyan tree.
As always, proceeds go toward the education of adivasi children in the Kabini area, outside Mysore.
How to get there: The festival is held at the Fireflies Ashram, Dinnepalya, about 20 kilometers from Bangalore.
The only route to the venue is via traffic-clogged road. Though organizers encourage car pooling, they don’t provide any transport.
Tickets are Rs 500 per person.
Visit the official Fireflies site for more information.

3. Sunburn

When: December 27-29, 2011

Where: Candolim beach, Goa

With more than 100,000 visitors expected this year, Sunburn is one of Asia's best, and biggest, electronic music festivals.

For sheer size, consistency and being in that sunshine state called Goa, Sunburn is championed as Asia’s best electronic music festival by its promoters.
Not in its fifth year, 2011 is expected to be the biggest yet. More than 100,000 people are expected at the three-day beach dance party.
Locals have been complaining about the frustrating traffic because of the festival. But it’s hard to worry about the world outside when there’s a neon-colored stage, sand under your feet, the ocean behind you and EDM in your ears.
Produced by celebrity DJ Nikhil Chinappa and event management company Percept, the festival hasn’t always been easy to put together.
Goa laws, erratic sound deadlines, traffic snarls, terrorist attacks in Mumbai and poor planning in initial years have all threatened the festival.
Bookmyshow.com’s CEO Ashish Hemrajani, official ticketing partner, says that this year the fest has registered more international card swipes than ever before.
“A lot of foreigners attend the festival, but we’re never sure if they’re already in India or coming for this," Hemrajani says. "This year, though, people seem to be making the trek for Sunburn."
Paul Van Dyk played in 2010. Pete Tong will be there this year. Laughing Buddha, Rae, Brute Force and regulars such as Jalebee Cartel, Pearl and Ma Faiza will occupy the seven stages.
How to get there: Sunburn is spread over four hectares of Candolim beach in north Goa.
Taxis within the city can be expensive. Renting a two-wheeler or a car is the best way to stay mobile. Organizers will provide buses from the airport to the Sunburn site.
Tickets: Day One: Rs 3,000; Day Two: Rs 4,000; Day Three: Rs 6,000. Three-day pass: Rs 7,000 (plus tax).
For more visit the Sunburn site.

4. Jaipur Literature Festival

When: January 20-24, 2012

Where: Diggi Palace, Jaipur

Rajasthani folk musician master Chugge Khanji performing at the Jaipur Literature Festival in 2010.

Technically the Jaipur Literature Festival is an event at which you’re more likely to bump into a book than a bansuri flute.
But that’s only during the day.
Every evening at the Diggi Palace, visitors huddle around bonfires to beat the January chill and sprawl across the lawns for electrifying music.
This literary festival has been growing in prestige and may be known for the authors it attracts, but the carefully curated list of artists who perform every evening has just as many fans.
Sanjoy Roy, whose company Teamworks produces the festival, says they knew music would always play a very important part.
“We were sure it had to be world music rather than pop and rock,” Roy says.
People of all ages start tumbling on to the lawns past 7 p.m. to hear Susheela Raman’s acoustic set, raise their hands with Junoon’s Salman Ahmad or sway with Rajasthani folk musicians who jam with all and sundry.
How to get there: Diggi Palace is in the center of Jaipur city. Jaipur is accessible via road, rail and air. The NH8 highway connects Jaipur with New Delhi in about four hours.
Though the festival is free, delegate day passes (Rs 2,500 per day) ensure entry to the concerts.
For more visit Jaipur Literature Festival.