Residents of a small village in India are fervently praying for Kamala Harris to win the U.S. election.
The people of Thulasendrapuram, a South Indian village located at the Tamil Nadu state – where Harris has ancestral roots, believe their powerful deity can secure victory for the Democratic presidential candidate. In a show of support, they gathered at a temple that resonated with Sanskrit and Tamil hymns, while a Hindu priest performed a ritual before the deity.
Beyond their prayers, Harris has become the talk of the village, especially at the local tea shop. Banners and billboards bearing her image can be seen throughout the community.
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“Our deity is very powerful. If we pray well, he will make her victorious,” said M. Natarajan, the temple priest who led prayers in front of a depiction of the Hindu deity Ayyanar, a form of Lord Shiva.
Harris’ maternal grandfather was born in Thulasendrapuram, about 350 kilometers (215 miles) from Chennai, over a century ago. He later moved to Chennai, where he worked as a high-ranking government official until his retirement. According to an AP report, Harris has never visited Thulasendrapuram and has no living relatives there, yet the villagers still honor her family for its success abroad.
“Our village ancestors’ granddaughter is running for the U.S. presidency. Her victory will be a joyous moment for all of us,” Natarajan said.
The village’s sudden fame has brought new resources, including funds from a local bank to build a water storage tank, which residents say will bear Harris’ name.
Harris’ late mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was born in India. She moved to the U.S. to study, eventually marrying a Jamaican man, and they named their daughter Kamala, a Sanskrit word for “lotus flower.”
Harris has rarely visited India since childhood, particularly since becoming vice president, but she frequently speaks about her deep connection to her mother’s homeland. Recently, she released a campaign video highlighting her mother, who arrived in the U.S. at age 19 and became a cancer researcher. The video, titled “Mother,” ends with the narrator saying: “This daughter of Shyamala, this daughter of the American story, is ready to lead us forward.”
Harris has often shared how her Indian-born grandfather and mother’s values shaped her. She has also spoken fondly of her love for South Indian food, particularly steamed rice cakes called idli.
Harris’ name is engraved on a list of donors to the village temple, thanks to a donation made in her name by her aunt Sarala Gopalan, alongside her grandfather’s name. A large banner outside the temple reads, “Success to the daughter of this land.”
On Tuesday, the village temple attracted rare international visitors: two Americans and a Briton, all wearing black t-shirts that read, “Kamala Freakin Harris.”
Manikandan Ganesan, a villager who runs a small shop near the temple, said Harris’ candidacy has brought fame to Thulasendrapuram, and he hopes she will eventually visit them.
“Just hearing that she might visit our village would make us so happy,” Ganesan said. “Her victory alone would be a huge joy for us.”
Villagers had similarly prayed for Harris’ success in 2020 and celebrated with firecrackers when she became the U.S. Vice President.
For the women of Thulasendrapuram, Harris’s journey is a source of inspiration.
Local politician Arulmozhi Sudhakar said Harris represents a meaningful step toward women’s empowerment in regions like Thulasendrapuram, where many women still face discrimination.
“From a time when women couldn’t even leave their homes to now, when a woman from our village is running for U.S. president — it’s a source of happiness for us,” Sudhakar said. “Future generations will see her as a role model for success.”
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