THULASENDRAPURAM, India – The temple resounded with rhythmic Sanskrit and Tamil chants, as a Hindu priest carried a flame before the deity. As this small South African town gathered to pray for Kamala Harris, a crowd of journalists jostled for space and cameras.
There is little to distinguish the village of Thulasendrapuram from any other rural community in Tamil Nadu, other than the connection to a woman who would become America’s first leader with South Asian roots.
As millions of Americans vote, Harris has people rooting for him from thousands of miles away in a village surrounded by rice fields and coconut trees, where his mother’s family has ancestral ties. They discussed him at a local tea shop. Banners and billboards with his face are visible throughout the community.
Read more: How South Asian Women Meet Kamala Harris
“Our God is a very powerful God. If we pray well to him, he will make him win,” said M. Natarajan, a temple priest who led prayers in front of an image of the Hindu god Ayyanar, a form of Lord Shiva.
Harris’ maternal grandfather was born in the village, 350 kilometers (215 miles) from the southern coastal city of Chennai, over a century ago. When he grew up, he moved to Chennai, where he worked as a senior government official until his retirement.
Harris has never visited Thulasendrapuram and has no relatives living in the area, but people here still respect the family that made it big in the US.
“The grandson of our ancestors is running for the presidency of the United States. His victory will be good news for all of us,” said Natarajan.
The fame of this village has suddenly helped to bring money to this village. Recently, construction started on a water storage tank with money donated by a local bank. Residents of the area say it will carry a plaque with Harris’ name on it.
Harris’ late mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was born in India. After moving to the US to study, she married a Jamaican man, and they named their daughter Kamala, a Sanskrit word meaning “lotus flower.”
Aside from a trip in his childhood, Harris has never visited India — especially since becoming vice president — but has often spoken emotionally about his relationship with his late mother’s country. On Tuesday, he released a campaign video highlighting his mother, who came to the US at age 19 and became a cancer researcher.
Titled “Mama,” the video ends with the narrator saying: “This daughter of Shyamala, this daughter of the American story, is ready to lead us forward.”
Harris often talks about how he was guided by the values of his Indian-born grandfather and mother. He has also talked about his love for South Indian food, especially a type of fried rice cake called idli.
Harris’s name is recorded in the list of donors – his aunt Sarala Gopalan gave money to the temple in his name – as well as his grandfather’s. Outside, a large banner wishes the “daughter of the country” success in the elections.
Read more: See the 2024 Presidential Race Results Map
On Tuesday, the village temple also received rare foreign visitors: two American visitors and one from the UK, all wearing black T-shirts that read “Kamala Freakin Harris.”
Manikandan Ganesan, a resident who owns a small shop near the temple, said that Harris’ bid for the presidency had made the village famous. He hopes Harris will eventually visit them.
“Even if he said that he would visit our village, it would make us very happy,” said Ganesan. “His victory will be a great source of joy for us.”
Residents of the area also prayed for Harris’ victory in 2020, and set off fireworks when he became US Vice President.
For the women of the village, the candidate’s journey is a source of inspiration.
Local politician Arulmozhi Sudhakar said Harris represents an important initiative for the empowerment of women in areas like Thulasendrapuram, where most women continue to face discrimination and gender inequality.
“From a time when women were not even allowed to step out of their homes, to now a woman from our village is going to run for the US president – this brings us joy,” said Sudhakar. “Future generations will see him as an example to succeed in life.”
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