Residents of Kamala Harris’ ancestral village in southern India are preparing to hold prayers on election day this Tuesday at a Hindu temple, located over 8,000 miles (13,000 km) from Washington, D.C.
Harris’ maternal grandfather, P. V. Gopalan, was born more than a century ago in the picturesque village of Thulasendrapuram, now situated in Tamil Nadu state.
Kamala’s ancestral village in India is sending prayers for her success. Manikandan is a local villager who operates a small store nearby. “Celebrations will follow if she wins.”
At the temple, Harris’ name is inscribed on a stone that commemorates public donations, alongside her grandfather’s name.
Outside the temple, a large banner wishes “the daughter of the land” success in the election.
Gopalan and his family later moved a few hundred miles to Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, where he served as a high-ranking government official until retirement.
The village garnered international attention four years ago when residents prayed for a Democratic victory for Harris in 2020, celebrating her inauguration as US Vice President with firecrackers and food distribution.
As the election unfolds, Harris and her Republican challenger Donald Trump are both working hard to mobilize supporters, in a historically close contest that could take days to determine a winner.
