As the United States gears up for a crucial presidential election, residents of Thulasendrapuram, a small village in Tamil Nadu, India, are praying for Kamala Harris’ success. Known as the ancestral village of Harris, Thulasendrapuram has organised special pujas and prayers at a local temple, hoping she emerges victorious on November 5, when she faces Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump.
The temple grounds feature a stone bearing the names of Harris and her late grandfather, PV Gopalan, who was born in the village over a century ago. A banner outside the temple proclaims her as “the daughter of the land” and expresses the community’s hope for her victory, as reported by Hindustan Times.
Kamala Harris’ deep connection to her heritage has been a point of pride for Thulasendrapuram’s residents. On the other side of the world, Harris’ ancestral village is feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. Sherin Shivlinga, a visitor from Las Vegas, Nevada, expressed the community’s hopes, saying, “I have come to see the village where Kamala Harris’s grandparents were born and raised…we are waiting for the results of the election, we are nervous, we want her to win so badly.”
#WATCH | Tamil Nadu: Prayers offered for the victory of US Presidential candidate Kamala Harris at her ancestral village, Thulasendrapuram
The US presidential elections are set to take place on November 5, with Harris going against former US President and Republican candidate… pic.twitter.com/9wTq19aK9n
— ANI (@ANI) November 5, 2024
In an op-ed published days before the election, Harris recounted how her mother, Shyamala Harris, moved from India to the United States at age 19 with dreams of making a difference. Shyamala, a pioneering breast cancer researcher, instilled a strong sense of cultural appreciation in her daughters. “Growing up, my mother raised my sister and me to appreciate and honor our heritage. Nearly every other year, we would go to India for Diwali. We would spend time with our grandparents, our uncles, and our chitthis,” Harris wrote, as per PTI.
