MUMBAI: December leaves music aficionados spoilt for choice as the usual suspects sprung up with multi-stage multi-genre themed multi-day events. Moving away from the traditional approach of dedicating the entire edition to one genre, a few new festivals have adopted the ‘music for all’ approach and joining this league is Rajasthan’s ‘Taalbelia’ festival, to be hosted in Mandawa for the first time in January 2017.

Set in linear to the essence of Rajasthan in its true colour and nature, and with a sheer desire to make the first good impression, TaalBelia did not compromise on its artist line-up. Arguably, and still, the most popular Indian rock band Indian Ocean, features in the debut edition, further justifying the band’s commercial popularity and its ability to attract fans regardless of the venue or the festival.

Starting on 26 January, the festival will host at least thirty acts for four days (till 29 January) across three stages. Joining Indian Ocean in this refreshing music festival promoting almost every genre is Grammy award winning ‘mohan-veena’ virtuoso Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhat. The Indian classical music legend will not be the only veteran musician to grace Taalbelia, as American saxophonist George Brooks – known for his fusion of Indian classical music and jazz – will join the line-up featuring some of the great contributors to the world of music. Possibly, the attraction of the festival would be Manganiyar Classroom by Roysten Abel featuring young and emerging musicians from the local gharanas continuing the tradition of Rajasthani folk music.

Also performing at the festival, Bengaluru-based rock band Parvaaz will join fellow established acts like Ankur & The Ghalat Family, Arambola, Arjun Vagale, Grain (DJ Set), Bhanwari Devi, Rapper Divine, Dualist Inquiry, Ghazi Khan Anwar Khan Manganiyar, Nicholson, Prateek Kuhad, Prem Joshua, Rajasthan Josh Group, Reggae Rajahs, Ritviz DJ Producer, Shadow Light, Sid Vashi, Soulmate, Sound Avatar, When Chai Met Toast along with Sumitra (meera bhajans) and Sunita Amin (drupad) who will be featured in the early morning sessions.

Brought by experimental marketing agency Event Crafter with the Royal Family of Mandawa, special collaborations are also a part of the billing at Taalbelia, such as the Shillong-based blues act Soulmate featuring the talented Anwar Khan (Manganiyar) among others, to be announced shortly.

More often than not, multi-day music festivals also set up workshops so that attendees not only leave the event with memorable music but a lesson or two about music. Taalbelia’s Pro-Life exquisite Workshops have a distinctive set of interactive sessions: stand behind the console jamming with the DJs, learn to play the Morchang, understand the rhythm of the khartaal, polish your shooting skills or potter around the potter’s wheel, get familiar with the beautiful horses at the royal stables. There’s also a crash course that teaches you to make the unique and signature Rajasthani Lac bangles and the options of sand surfing and dirt biking.