Indian villagers pray for Kamala Harris win

With sacred chants, ringing of bells and offerings of flowers and bananas, a Hindu priest in Kamala Harris’ ancestral village in southern India conducted prayers on Tuesday (November 5) for her victory in the U.S. presidential election.

The temple ceremony in Thulasendrapuram, in the state of Tamil Nadu, was organised by local villagers and attended by more than a dozen of them and a few tourists, Reuters reports.

Harris’ maternal grandfather P.V. Gopalan was born more than a century ago in Thulasendrapuram before migrating to the state capital Chennai. He was a high-ranking government official at the time of his retirement.

After lighting incense, the priest ended the prayer pronouncing “Kamala Harris should win”, as he offered vermilion powder and ash to those attending.

At the temple, Harris’ name is engraved on a stone that lists public donations, along with that of her grandfather. Outside, Arulmozhi Sudhakar, a local politician, erected a banner on Tuesday, wishing “the daughter of the land” success in the election.

“She is one of us. She will win,” said Sudhakar, a representative of a local village body. “Once she wins, we will offer special prayers (on Wednesday) and also donate food at the temple.”

Sudhakar also painted “Best Wishes for Success” on the mud floor in front of her thatched-roof home a few kilometres (miles) from the temple.

The village received global attention four years ago, when its residents prayed for victory for Harris’ Democratic Party in 2020 before celebrating her inauguration as U.S. Vice President by setting off firecrackers and distributing food.