Gone are the days when you had to sit back home and envy your friends living in the US who watched the who's who of the music scene live. India has finally built up an infrastructure which makes it possible to host a melange of music festivals in all corners of the country, all round the year. It is not just the era of Spring Fest and Mood Indigo anymore.
 | Rajasthan Music |
There are scores of niche music festivals in India which you need to check out right now for updating your must-visit list.
1. Shinkari Melam, Kerala
A noteworthy feature of the Thrissur Pooram festival is the Shinkari Melam, a classical music performance using traditional instruments in Kerala. The Thrissur Pooram celebration is celebrated for 36 hours straight. Vadakkunnathan Temple, Thirvambady Temple, and Paramekkavu Devi Temple are the three main temples that take part in this festival.
The decorations and beautification of the temples are definitely worth a viewing. UNESCO has labeled Thrissur Pooram the most spectacular festival on the entire planet, and rightly so, as you will know when you witness it personally on one of the Kerala packages.
You can marvel at the elephants adorned in splendor, the euphonic play of drums and other instruments, glow during the sequined parasols shift atop more than 50 elephants, and the explosion of firecrackers at night marking the conclusion of the festival is all events you shouldn't miss.
The grand finale of this festival of color, music and fire works would be marked with a farewell function to the deities of the Thiruvambadi and Paramekkavu Devaswams in front of the West Gate of the Vadakkunnathan Temple.
When: April
2. Ziro Festival of Music, Arunachal Pradesh
A small quaint village nestled amidst green valleys and sky kissing mountains, becomes the ground zero of the Indian music movement every September, for a week, without fail. This year, Ziro fest is starting on 22 September and will continue for 4 eventful days. From Shye Ben Tzur and The Rajasthan Express to the Riddim Funktion Collective, this festival is the melting pot of multiple cultures and genres of music.
Want to spend a day camping outdoors basking in the glory of fresh music? Try Ziro this September. Experience tranquility in Ziro music festival. This is not only one of the best things to do in Arunachal Pradesh but a life changing experience in itself. You will be serenaded by many a bands in this festival and they NEVER repeat a band! Of course, visiting this festival will vitalise you and change your mental synthesis for the better.
When: September
3. Hornbill Festival, Nagaland
Every year the colorful valleys of Kohima dress up for this international festival. If you want to camp out and enjoy exotic music at an off-beat location, this is it. The Hornbill Festival is organized by the State Tourism and Art & Culture Departments. Apart from the regular Hornbill International Rock Contests you can sample indigenous music, dance and other art-forms, under one roof at this exotic and yet grounded festival.
When: December
4. Ragasthan, Rajasthan
If you want to take a plunge into the cultural diversity of India, you should start at Rajasthan. And there is no better way to start off your soul searching trip than spending endless hours sitting against the sand dunes of the golden desert listening to the music maestros of the country. From folk fusion to classical fusion, you can hear every genre reverberate through the dunes. This is a three day event which draws people from all around the world.
When: October
5. NH7 Weekender, Pune, Hyderabad and Shillong
This is possibly one of the best organized music festivals that have been doing its rounds around the metropolitan cities of India for quite a few years now. Although the tour bus won't be stopping at Kolkata this year, Shillong does get a solo appearance from Steven Wilson. Hyderabad gets a taste of the good old Indian Ocean tunes and Pune gets to see Jose Gonzalez perform live besides getting a one-one experience with Steven Wilson.
When: October-November
6. Mood Indigo, Mumbai, December
This is THE college fest which has made its way into the league of the national and international music festivals over the years. From Porcupine Tree to deadmau5 almost all of the big names from our playlists have played at this IIT fest at least once. If you have not yet been to Mood Indigo and felt the beat in your veins, you need to save your dates this year for Asia's largest cultural fest of December.
When: December
7. Magnetic Fields, Alsisar Mahal, Rajasthan
This December the state of Rajasthan will rock with the beats of leading house, EDM and electronica maestros from all across the globe. Find your soul with the music of Dorian Concept, Roman Flugel, Pinch, Sarathy Korwar, Prateek Kuhad, Raki Rags, Khalil and many other prominent names from the global electronica scene.
Dance underneath the stars to the groovy beats of some of the best musicians, get lost in the traditional art and cuisine for 3 whole days in association with the Red Bull Music Academy this December!
When: December
8. India Surf Fest, Odisha
This upcoming November India Surf Fest will celebrate its fifth successful year with a mélange of cultural performances from renowned artists all over the country. We will get to see a few of the best known international names as well. Aside from famous musicians and artists, the India Surf Fest showcases some of the most well known photographers during the 3-day event starting from 12 November.
When: November
9. Vh1 Supersonic Festival, Goa
Till 2015 Vh1 Supersonic was held in the month of December on the sandy beaches of Goa that attracted party lovers and EDM addicts from all over the world to unite.
When: December
10. Sunburn, Goa
This is the motherload of all festivals in India. Sunburn is indeed the biggest music festival in Asia and it sees the attendance of thousands of music lovers from almost every corner of the world. The biggest names of the music scene including David Guetta, Martin Garrix and Dimitri Vegas have lent their names to the fame and success of Sunburn.
If EDM runs in your veins, Sunburn should be your destination this December. Get ready to groove with Like Mike, Marshmello, Martin Garrix, Kygo, Art Department and Dimitri Vegas on the dazzling beaches of Goa.
When: December