When Molly Ramcharan tells her story, two words that come to mind – resilience and passion. At 70, Ramcharan’s journey from a challenging childhood, abusive marriage to becoming a beloved singer is truly inspiring. Her music is deeply rooted in her Indian heritage and her contributions to preserving Indian culture in TT are significant, with over 70 songs spanning chutney, film, and biraha (a narration done in a certain melody accompanied by a style of drumming called nagara usually played on tassa drums).
“By singing the traditional songs with the real meanings, we further promote the culture and keep it alive. Understandably, sometimes artistes do have to sing outside of this to attract a different audience,” Ramcharan told WMN.
Ramcharan, the youngest of 11 siblings, was born and raised in a Hindu home in Debe. Her parents were cane cutters and gardeners, and due to financial constraints, she was only able to attend school up to standard five at the Ramai Trace Hindu School. Reflecting on her early years, she said, “I always liked singing from small when I was going to school, so I would sing for small events, just one song. I was just always fond of singing.”
When she was 14, she got married and had three children. Unfortunately, her marriage was marred by abuse.
“When I got married, the first year was good. After, he became very abusive. The children were always afraid of him and many times he would lock us out. They were always scared whenever he came home. He never allowed me to sing.”
One night, in a desperate bid for safety, she fled with her firstborn, a son, crossing a swamp in neck-high water while holding him above her head. Her mother lived across the swamp, and she eventually got to the other side and hid in her mother’s cow shed.
“I was scared to call my mother to tell her what was happening, and was scared if my baby cried then my husband would have known where I was.”
She managed to get her mother’s attention and was able to stay at her house that night.
But as was customary at that time, she had to return to her husband’s home and she eventually had two girls. But the abuse worsened to the point where she could no longer endure it, prompting her to leave her husband for good after 18 years of hardship.
Determined to create a better life for her children, Ramcharan turned to her passion for singing. She joined the Sur Sangeet Orchestra, where her talent quickly garnered attention.
“When people heard me singing, they liked my voice,” she said. Gradually, she began singing on her own and started building a life for herself. She sold a gold necklace for $1,400 and used the money to build a small house that she leepayed (use of soft mud and/or cow dung to coat and smoothen a surface). She supported her children by singing at various events and prayed for guidance and help.
“I used to pray and ask God to show me a way to mind my children, and out of nowhere, I started singing and people really started to like my singing.”
Within a year and a half, her popularity grew and s