A tiny village in India where Kamala Harris has ancestral roots is praying for her victory

By SHEIKH SAALIQ, Associated Press

THULASENDRAPURAM, India (AP) — The temple reverberated with rhythmic Sanskrit and Tamil hymns, arsenic a Hindu clergyman held a occurrence earlier the god. As this tiny South Indian colony gathered to commune for Kamala Harris, a gaggle of reporters jostled for abstraction and camera angles.

There’s small to separate the colony of Thulasendrapuram from immoderate different agrarian assemblage successful Tamil Nadu, but its transportation to a pistillate who could go America’s archetypal person with South Asian roots.

As millions of Americans vote, Harris has radical rooting for her from thousands of miles distant successful a colony surrounded by atom paddies and coconut trees, wherever her mother’s household has ancestral ties. They speech astir her astatine the section beverage shop. Banners and billboards bearing her look are seen passim the community.

“Our deity is simply a precise almighty God. If we commune good to him, helium volition marque her victorious,” said M. Natarajan, the temple clergyman that led the prayers successful beforehand of the representation of Hindu deity Ayyanar, a signifier of Lord Shiva.

Harris’ maternal gramps was calved successful the village, astir 350 kilometers (215 miles) from the confederate coastal metropolis of Chennai, much than 100 years ago. As an adult, helium moved to Chennai, wherever helium worked arsenic a high-ranking authorities authoritative until his retirement.

Harris has ne'er visited Thulasendrapuram and she has nary surviving relatives successful the village, but radical present inactive venerate the household that made it large successful the U.S.

“Our colony ancestors’ granddaughter is moving arsenic a U.S. statesmanlike candidate. Her triumph volition beryllium blessed quality for each 1 of us,” Natarajan said.

The village’s abrupt fame has helped bring wealth into the village. Recently, operation began connected a h2o retention vessel with funds donated by a section bank. Village residents accidental it volition transportation a plaque with Harris’ name.

Harris’ precocious mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was calved successful India. After moving to the U.S. to study, she joined a Jamaican man, and they named their girl Kamala, a Sanskrit connection for “lotus flower.”

Other than trips during her childhood, Harris hasn’t visited India overmuch — peculiarly not since becoming vice president — but she has often spoken emotionally astir her ties to her precocious mother’s state of birth. On Tuesday, she released a run video highlighting her mother, who arrived successful the U.S. astatine property 19 and became a crab researcher.

Titled “Mother,” the video ends with a narrator saying: “This girl of Shyamala, this girl of the American story, is acceptable to pb america forward.”

Harris has often talked astir however she was guided by the values of her Indian-born gramps and mother. She has besides spoken of her emotion of southbound Indian food, particularly a benignant of steamed atom barroom called idli.

Harris’ sanction is engraved successful a database of donors — her aunt Sarala Gopalan gave wealth to the temple successful her sanction — on with that of her grandfather. Outside, a ample banner wishes “the girl of the land” occurrence successful the election.

On Tuesday, the colony temple besides received uncommon planetary visitors: 2 American tourists and 1 from the U.K., each wearing achromatic t-shirts that said “Kamala Freakin Harris.”

Manikandan Ganesan, a villager who runs a tiny store adjacent the temple, said Harris’ bid for the presidency has made the colony famous. He hopes Harris volition yet sojourn them.

“Even if she mentioned that she would sojourn our village, it would marque america precise happy,” Ganesan said. “Her triumph itself volition beryllium a large root of happiness for us.”

Village residents besides prayed for Harris’ triumph successful 2020, and acceptable disconnected firecrackers erstwhile she became the U.S. Vice President.

For women of the village, the candidate’s travel is simply a root of inspiration.

Local person Arulmozhi Sudhakar said Harris embodies a important measurement toward pistillate empowerment successful places similar Thulasendrapuram, wherever a bulk of women proceed to look favoritism and sex inequality.

“From the clip erstwhile women were not adjacent allowed to measurement retired of their house, to present a pistillate from our colony contesting successful the U.S. statesmanlike predetermination — this brings happiness for us,” Sudhakar said. “The coming generations volition spot her arsenic a relation exemplary to win successful life.”