October gives us many reasons to travel with festival holidays coming up. If you’re itchy feet for a cultural experience, then the wait is over! The ‘Singing Sands Heritage Festival’ is returning to Rajasthan for its second edition from October 10–12, 2025.
The allure of the festival lies in its immersive heritage and musical experiences. It’s amidst the 275-year-old Dundlod Fort in Rajasthan’s Shekhawati region which is known for colourful havelis, memorials, cenotaphs and community wells. During the three-day festival visitors can expect a vibrant mix of folk performances, craft workshops, heritage walks, storytelling sessions, and traditional local cuisine. The experience brought in by Jaipur-based cultural initiative Dancing Peacock promises that the visitors experience the living traditions of Rajasthan in a soulful way.
Festival highlights
‘Singing Sands’ festival made its successful debut in 2024. It drew in audiences from India and abroad. This year’s edition focuses on intimate, limited-seating and close-knit experiences. Visitors can attend workshops with folk instrument makers who have mastered regional instruments. For adventure lovers, there will be visits to the world-famous Dundlod Stud Farm of Thakur Raghuvendra Singh (Bonnie Bana) offering horse riding safaris across the vast expanse of Thar desert. Evenings will be spent over traditional camps, and guided tours of the restored haveli-turned-museum Dundlod Fort. Most of the experiences unfold within the historic Dundlod Fort, built in 1750 by Thakur Kesari Singh—a striking example of Rajput-Mughal architecture that continues to serve as their royal residence.
Festival Director, Vinod Joshi, said, “What makes ‘Singing Sands’ so unique is the way traditions and settings come alive together. A folk singer in a haveli courtyard, a sarangi blending with global instruments, or the discovery of unseen crafts against the backdrop of mesmerizing architecture are experiences that cannot be recreated elsewhere. The festival is as much about the joy of engaging with artists as it is about enjoying the music itself. With its workshops, storytelling walks, and shared feasts under starlit skies, ‘Singing Sands’ becomes a cultural getaway that is exciting, memorable, and unlike anything audiences would find in a conventional setting.”
Community first
The festival places strong emphasis on inclusivity and community. Hence, women artists and artisans take center stage, while regional cuisines celebrate Rajasthan’s culinary heritage.
Naveen Tripathi, festival producer, said, “Singing Sands is imagined as a boutique heritage festival; intimate, immersive, and rich with cultural experiences. At Dundlod Fort, music, crafts, and stories unfold within courtyards and havelis, creating a retreat that feels both exclusive and deeply engaging. Every performance and workshop is designed to draw people closer to Rajasthan’s living traditions, not as spectators but as participants. The festival is a cultural escape where you slow down, connect with the roots of heritage, and leave with moments that stay with you long after you return to everyday life.”
To make the festival family-friendly, children under 12 are welcomed free of charge, encouraging younger generations to connect with the state’s cultural wealth.
