Hasn’t Hyderabad been so charming lately? Alighting with much pitter-patter from the regal grey clouds above, the raindrops look like little pearls as they cascade down our windows, reminding us of a serene calmness — a cool blessing after a particularly cruel summer. Oh, only the City of Pearls can be so kind! So, the monsoon, despite poetic misgivings about its gloom and doom, must be celebrated. And Surmandal knew exactly what to do: the music organisation, which has been organising concerts since 1969, presented Barakha Rang, a Hindustani classical recital by Saniya Patankar at Bhaskara Auditorium. Accompanied by actor-singer Rahul Deshpande on the harmonium and Vivek Kayal on the tabla, Saniya captured the monsoon mood with perfection.
Gracefully holding a cup of tea — a hot favourite of both Punekars and Hyderabadis — Saniya drifts off to the past, telling CE, “When I was around four, my parents noticed I had a musical spark, grasping the songs from TV programmes with ease. I thus began with Hindustani classical training and later learnt thumri, dadra, and various folk forms. I belong to the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana, and I’m fortunate to be a disciple of Padma Shri Ashwini Bhide Deshpande.”
Curiosity gets the cat… what sets her gharana apart from the rest? Saniya explains with clarity: “For instance, in the Agra gharana, the emphasis is more on laya or rhythm. In the Kirana gharana, it’s all about the swar or notes. Every gharana is special, but in the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana, there’s a beautiful balance between the two. Every note flows in perfect sync with the rhythm, creating a distinct musical identity.”
Alongside music, academics were never sidelined. “I pursued both seriously, earning a Sangeet Visharad, an MCom (Gold Medal), and even completing CS. There was always emphasis on a balanced path. My guru Ashwini ji, who herself is a scientist, always stressed the importance of education.”
And success has followed her everywhere. An empanelled performer with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Saniya has taken Indian music to audiences around the world. But she pauses and smiles for a moment, her eyes gleaming. Clearly, the young girl in her keeps one accolade above all: “My first album Rasiya was released by none other than Lata Mangeshkar ji,” she recalls with reverence.
Saniya chuckles when asked about her routine. “People think we sing 24 hours a day! Of course, practice is essential, but life has many beautiful things to offer,” she points out. But when you hear her voice, it is evident that Saniya lives and breathes music, no matter the language or form. “I speak Marathi, but I would love to sing Telugu songs. I can grasp them easily, for the language of music is one,” she says with a smile, adding that she absolutely loved performing in Hyderabad, a city where all forms of music have their moments in the sun.
Saniya says that dedication, hard work, and consistency are the virtues music has instilled in her, making her ready to face any adversity that life throws at her. She also expresses gratitude to those who share her love for it, saying, “Mohan Hemmadi ji, Surmandal's founder, used to visit our home, and I felt truly grateful to be in his presence. In today’s fast-paced world, few platforms let a single artist perform for three hours, but that’s what sets Surmandal apart.”
When asked about her favourite raags, her face lights up. “Miyan Ki Malhar is a favourite as it was created by Miyan Tansen himself. It’s full of soft notes and has a divine, romantic quality. Raag Yaman is like a vast and endless ocean, while Raag Todi has a calming, meditative effect.”
She also shares a monsoon memory: “I was once abroad, singing Raag Malhar, when an American lady — who had never even heard Bollywood music — came up to me after the concert and asked, ‘Were you calling the rains?’ I thought that was beautiful.”