Sandyadi and I went to the same music teacher: Ajoy Chakrabarty

I first met

Sandhyadi

(Mukhopadhyay) at my Ustadji’s place in

Park Circus

. I used to attend classes four to five days a week and she also started her classes there. By then, I knew her and her songs. I used to sing her songs, including Ogo Sindur Ranga Megh, at musical events. I remember spending evening at our music classes. I used to play

Tanpura

while she practiced and she used to play while I practiced. That’s how we knew each other. She asked me to go to her house. Finally, when I went, her husband could not recognise me and I was denied entry. I was heartbroken and I told her never would I go to her house again. Later everything went well. In fact, we did playback in a film also. The music was composed by

Dilip Roy

.

I was deeply inspired by the way she carried her playback singing and her classical music together. I learnt from her how both sides of the music can be practiced.

When I think over her large number of songs, I find

Gaane Mor Kon Indradhanu

and Madhumalati Dake Aai are my most favourite ones. My very favourite

Radhakanto Nandi

played tabla with the latter and the chemistry between his playing and Sandhyadi’s vocals was outstanding.