Esther’s songs!

My great grandmother, (mother’s father’s mom) Esther, I hear, was one of the people who helped establish a church in Karamana. She married my grandfather who was known to be a bodyguard/goonda types for someone around. I hear different stories about them. 

Esther ammachi was a midwife, who assisted women in childbirth and sometimes she had to walk long distances to assist families. She also drew away demons from women during childbirth, apparently.  

One story that I heard from my mother goes like this. My great grandmother would sing hymns loudly in the late evenings. This could be heard from quite some distance! Some women, children and maybe some men (maybe!) in the neighbourhood, even the ones from other faith, would wait for her song to go outside their homes into their yards for nature’s call! Back then, they believed evil lurked in the dark!  During the night when there was no electricity or street lights, taking kerosene lamps would invite attention from the local perverts! So, my granny’s song was their strength to step outside into the dark! I’m quite fascinated by how her ritual became a blessing to many!