'Vetri' for Kamala Harris: Ancestral village in TN awaits her triumph

Prayers, posters, and political hopes - Shine Jacob discovers how Thulasendrapuram is rooting for her presidential bid in US

While Washington D C lay quiet and asleep in the wee hours of Friday, the air far away in Thulasendrapuram, a small village in Tamil Nadu, was alive with anticipation. At 11 am IST, T Rooban, a leading priest at Dharma Sastha temple, believed to be 500 years old, was preparing for a special puja, or Abhishekam. The temple air buzzed with the fragrant smoke of burning camphor and incense, mingling with the bright hues of lotus and rose petals.

As villagers gathered, their voices united in a singular prayer for a world figure far removed yet deeply connected: Victory for Kamala Harris, the American vice-president and Democratic candidate for the US presidency.

Their reason is personal.

About 340 kilometres from Chennai, Thulasendrapuram – which sits lush and green in the fertile Cauvery River delta -- is not just a village of 300 families, or nearly 1,200 residents, but it is also Harris' ancestral home.

A black stone tablet at one corner of the temple bears the names of those who contributed to its renovation, including Harris, who donated Rs 5,000 ($59.69) in 2014 while serving as California’s Attorney General. “She visited this village when she was 10 years old and came to our temple,” Rooban reminisced. “When she became vice-president in 2020, we held special prayers.”

A stone tablet at Dharma Sastha temple recognises her contribution of Rs 5,000 in 2014 towards temple works | Photos: Pratap Vinayagam

Now, every day at 11 a m, he and other priests perform a special Abhisheka Aradhana for Harris' success, pouring liquid offerings over the deity's image while chanting sacred Sanskrit mantras.

Thulasendrapuram’s streets are adorned with posters and banners of Harris, leading neighbouring villages to dub it “Kamala Harris’ Village” and guiding visitors to this unique place.

“When she became vice-president, a team of foreigners visited the village, the temple, and a nearby high school. Now, everyone is putting up her posters, so I'm planning to print one too,” shared Ganesan Manikandan, who has run a small grocery store outside the temple for 14 years. Showing an advertisement featuring Harris and US President Joe Biden, he said while such posters in Thulasendrapuram may not sway votes in her favour, they could win hearts in the US.

About half a kilometer from the temple along muddy village roads lies an agraharam, a traditional Brahmin settlement. There P Vasudha, a 60-year-old resident, recounted Harris’ maternal grandfather, Painganadu Venkataraman Gopalan, as a neighbour. “There’s no house of Harris to show now; the plot is vacant. They (Gopalan’s family) moved out of the village decades ago,",” he said.

Gopalan, a civil servant, was renowned for his relief work in Zambia and later with the Government of India. He also served as an advisor to Zambia’s first president, Kenneth Kaunda. Among his four children, Harris's mother, Shyamala, pursued an academic career in the US and married Jamaican economist Donald J Harris.

“It was Harris’ maternal aunt who last visited the temple and made a contribution on her behalf,” explained Jayaraman Sudhakar, a local councillor. “For every success of hers, we celebrate with firecrackers, processions, and posters. People here know more about US politics than Indian politics.” A Harris victory means a continuation of Biden’s India-friendly policies, boosting strategic technology and defence ties, the villagers said, adding, conversely, Republican Donal Trump’s “Make America Great Again” stance may strain India-US trade relations.

“We believe our pujas and the blessings of Dharma Sastha helped her win in 2020," said Thirunavukkarasu, a temple worker. “Every day, 20-30 people attend the puja for her victory, and we offer special food to the devotees.”

“This is her village. She is our leader and a woman from this village,” D. Mannarkodi, a 55-year-old woman, proudly declared.

As Harris's campaign rallies Democrats with the slogan "When we fight, we win," a similar sentiment echoes 14,000 kilometres away in Thulasendrapuram. From children to elders, the message is unanimous: “Vetri (victory)” for Kamala Harris.