India, Sept. 9 -- Dressed in white kurtas, pyjamas and Nehru caps, the folk performers are singing a Marathi song dedicated to the hand-woven Maheshwari saree. In English, its lyrics mean, 'My Maheshwari sari caught little Krishna's eye'. In the background, 2000 diyas float on the Narmada past the ghats of Maheshwar, a small town in Madhya Pradesh with a rich legacy of stories about the just rule of Ahilyabai Holkar, and of weaving beautiful sarees that are a blend of cotton and silk.

It is in Holkar's ornately carved Ahilya Fort, towering over the ghats, that the three-day Sacred River Festival is held every year. The aim is to promote younger artists, and give lesser-known music and dance traditions a deserving platform. The event also...