MUMBAI: The third edition of Magnetic Fields, a music and arts festival held at the 17th century palace-turned-hotel Alsisar Mahal, will take place from 18th to 20th December and promises to introduce attendees to the freshest sounds from India and around the world.

Ratatat, who have performed at some of the biggest and most well-known music festivals this year – both the weekends at Coachella in Indio (CA), Primavera Sound in Barcelona and The Governor’s Ball in New York, will make their first-ever festival appearance in India at Magnetic Fields.

The third edition of Magnetic Fields also sees the first-ever collaboration between the global music institution, Red Bull Music Academy and an Indian festival in the shape of the Red Bull Music Academy North Stage. This stage will present to Indian audiences the sounds and skills of exemplary crate diggers Hunee & Rush Hour Records Boss, Antal from The Netherlands, techno giants DJ Koze and Objekt, new house/techno whizkid Palms Trax, selector par excellence and member of the Los Angeles-based Brainfeeder crew - Kutmah, grime innovator Mumdance, UK dancehall producer Palmistry, the new Sandunes and Jiver collaboration Perfect Timing, synthpop producer Aqua Dominatrix and Indian producer The Sine Painter.

Magnetic Fields will also present the first-ever combined showcase of Indian and Pakistani electronic music producers, featuring Consolidate and Forever South, represented by Pakistani producers Rudoh and TMPST. The Bangalore-based collective Consolidate will be repped by founder _RHL.

But Magnetic Fields offers you more than just great music in a regal setting.

A few hours’ drive from Delhi, Alsisar beckons those with a sense of history and adventure. Once the residence of the Thakur of Alsisar, the palace has hidden treasures in every nook and cranny, be it old family pictures or hunting equipment. One could easily lose themselves in the maze of steps and only emerge from it hours later, happier.

Decoding Magnetic Fields

The theme for the 2015 edition is “as the Bedouins traverse through the five elements” – earth or prithvi; water or jal; fire or agni; air or vayu and then aether or akasha – and the festival aesthetic will illustrate how the elements come together to create a magical, mystical experience. Like last year, the theme will extend to a variety of carefully constructed spaces including the two main stages – the North stage (night stage), and the South stage (day stage).

The art installations at the festival this year will be an extension of the theme and will be specially curated by artists and designers like Anjali Mody of the JOSMO Furniture Design Studio fame, writer, visual artist and innovator Shilo Shiv Suleman and textile and fashion designer Shreya Oza.

What else to do at Magnetic Fields

In what will be a first, the dungeons of the 17th century palace will be the site of one of the popular secret parties – featuring Boston disco duo Soul Clap and Delhi-based producer Soulspace – in collaboration with respected online music magazine and brand Resident Advisor, and has the makings of a fantastic new experience for a festival goer.

While the music carries on through the day and until the early hours on the North (night) stage, there’s a lot more to explore at the festival.

The morning yoga sessions in the palace have proved to be very popular and this year too, health conscious revellers will be able to enjoy their asanas over the weekend. Namrata Sudhindra from Nikaya Yoga will host the sessions. For those interested in a galaxy far away, there will be stargazing sessions on the rooftop.

The treasure hunt – in collaboration with luxury leather design brand Nappa Dori like last year – will return grander and bigger. The booty on offer is a custom-made Nappa Dori trunk packed with goodies, and to win it, you will have to solve clues that are hidden all over the festival over the three days.

Marou Faiseurs de Chocolat, who has been awarded prizes around the world for its single-origin Vietnamese chocolate, will also host an exclusive chocolate tasting session at Alsisar Mahal over the weekend.

Burrnink Studio from Delhi, famous for their minimal and dot-work designs, will also be setting up a tattoo studio on the festival site, just in case the whim of getting inked strikes you.

Like the music, the food at the festival is also a memorable highlight. There will be hot naan wraps, Rajasthani curries, woodfired pizzas, waffles and desserts to keep the stomach and taste buds happy.

There will also be a dedicated welfare area managed and curated by mental health awareness and emotional wellness experts TATVA, a safe and caring space where there will always be a listening ear and a place to rest.

Magnetic Fields goodies

To remember ones time at Magnetic Fields they have a wide variety of memorabilia from guide books to bags and even chocolate.

Nappa Dori, the Delhi-based luxury leather brand is designing exciting, new festival merchandise – a limited edition black canvas bag with leather trims – specially designed for Magnetic Fields. The bag is available for sale on their website.

There will also be a specially designed festival guide available for sale. The guide holds clues as to how to best enjoy the Magnetic Fields experience, with puzzles and maps leading to the secret areas and parties. The guide will also serve as a memoir of a guest’s time at Magnetic Fields with blank pages where you can scribble your thoughts, experiences and schedule acts-you-can’t-miss.

Indian premium chocolate brand All Things will showcase a limited edition, handcrafted range of chocolates inspired by Magnetic Fields over the weekend.

Limited number of tickets and accommodation packages for the 18th to 20th December festival are still available for on sale Magnetic Fields official website.

Magnetic Fields Boat Party

The action moves from the desert to the ocean with the Magnetic Fields Boat Party in Goa on 26 December, 2015. Featuring dancehall producer Palmistry, who will also play at the festival, the boat party will also host pioneering electronic music producer, Reso (UK), Dutch producer and Charanjit Singh collaborator Thee J Johanz – who played at the first-ever edition of Magnetic Fields, Bhavishyavani’s M.Mat, Mumbai-based DJs EZ Riser and Eng. and Wild City’s own Moniker.