Jodhpur RIFF: 'The Book of Queens' brings forgotten women poets to life

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Little has been discussed about Gordafarid, a brave warrior woman from the iconic story of Rustam and Sohrab. Contemporary thinkers pointed fingers at the nakedness of philosopher Akka Mahadevi who had renounced everything. Only one poem remains of Azalais de Porcairagues, perhaps the first woman troubadour from 12th century France.

The stories of these women and others from Europe, Iran, and India, whose mention have all but faded from the pages of history, were revived here at Jodhpur RIFF roots music festival in a transcultural music project by Persian-speaking opera singer Camille Bordet in collaboration with Indian singer Smita Bellur.

“The Book of Queens”, born out of a commission by the Opera House of Dijon in France in 2025, became a show focused on female works of poetry and music from European classical and Iranian repertoire when Bordet wanted to “express the words and feelings of women of different times and spaces, united by nothing else than their womanness”.

“A show that would display some of these female works in a way that would sound like a dialogue, which means voices intertwining, people singing in different languages and people trying to go into the culture of the other one,” Bordet told PTI.

She added that the topic was also important to remind the younger generation that these strong women who were warriors, mystics, and nuns have existed throughout history.

“And so, we can also inspire the youth to actually do whatever they want to do. When you grow up with the idea that only men can be remembered, only men can do some sorts of work, and then women have to do some other sorts of work, it’s very hard to project yourself on a higher scale and to imagine what your life could be,” she said.

Originally thought of as an Iranian-European dialogue, the project expanded to include an Indian voice in Bellur, transforming “The Book of Queens” into a space of encounter between three worlds where scholarly traditions, oral transmission, poetry, spirituality, and contemporary creation intersect.

The French singer-composer had another reason to put together “The Book of Queens” as she wanted to emphasise that her protagonists should not be seen as women from a long time ago since women continue to experience the same pains and emotions.

“Those women had the same feelings as us. They were afraid, they were in love, they were sad, and it’s always about the same thing. And no matter what music it is, the core, the basis of it is always the same,” she said.

The project, which takes its name from “Shahnameh” (The Book of Kings) by 11th century Persian poet Ferdowsi and also one of its main characters Gordafarid, is a celebration of female figures who are heroines, warriors, saints, mystics, poets and composers, from medieval times to the present day.

If Gordafarid stood against legendary warrior Sohrab in single combat, Hildegard von Bingen, a 12th century German nun wrote new types of music, invented new forms of medicines while having visions from God, and Barbara Strozzi, the first female composer in 17th century Italy, created a formidable oeuvre of her own secular music in a male-dominated art form.

“Then we have Azalais de Porcairagues, a woman troubadour. We all know about the men troubadours. But Azalais de Porcairagues is one of the trobairitz that we still have material from. So, she was composing music and writing poetry,” Bordet said.

Only one poem of her survives, two verses of which Bordet performed during her set to create a dialogue between the different eras â¿¿ the Middle Ages and today.

“The Book of Queens” includes Maryam Tazhdeh, the tar player who composed two of the instrumental pieces in the performance, and Bordet, who composed music and wrote poetry in the project.

To add the Indian voice and context, Bellur chose mystic poet Meera Bai, Kannada poet Amba Bai, queen of Jhansi Lakshmi Bai, Kannada philosopher Akka Mahadevi, and Marathi saint poet Soyarabai.

“It’s important to study women, because women contribute to a large part of history. It’s incomplete without women. There was a practice of ignoring the entire woman, or just depict her as a shadow of men. But we need to understand their struggles, what they went through,” Bellur told PTI.

She added that the women of the 12th century were encountering the same patriarchy that continues to plague society today.

“If you look at so many parts of India, patriarchy is still so steeped in our society. It’s very disheartening when we see women are told they should dress in a certain way, they should not step out at night, should not go to the park. And these women, back in the day, faced the same situation. And sadly, today, we are back fighting the same struggles,” the classical singer said.

Apart from Bordet, Bellur and Khan, the ensemble included Tazdeh, theorbo player Madeleine Owen, kamancheh player Saeed Kamjoo, and percussionist Hamin Honari.

It was intentional, Bordet said, to have women for the majority of her crew.

“I’m not making it an obsession. I don’t want everybody to be women on stage because I believe that it’s also interesting to have men playing and singing women’s work. Because I, as an opera singer, am always singing the words of men. I also really like to give work to women because they are underrepresented,” she said.

Jodhpur RIFF music festival, organised by the Mehrangarh Museum Trust, hosted its “wildest and widest” guest lists from October 22 to 26 yet with new and returning roots musicians from six continents and about a dozen countries playing along the centuries old music of Rajasthan and India’s traditional folk artistes.

Apart from more than 250 folk musicians from Rajasthan, and other Indian states, the festival featured legendary roots musicians for the first time such as Filipino-Murrawari rapper Dobby, Latin American duo Camila y Silvio, UK’s Uilleann pipe player Michael McGoldrick, and American folk and blues singer Martha Redbone.

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