Harris' Indian roots How her grandfather's home village is cheering on the US election campaign
Kamala Harris has never been there herself. Nevertheless, many residents of Thulasendrapuram see her as one of their own. For them, it is simply a sensation that a woman with direct family connections to the unassuming village could become American president.
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- The residents of Kamala Harris' grandfather's home village in India are cheering on the Democratic vice president and presidential candidate on US election day.
- A number of banners and posters with her face on them hang along the streets. The US election campaign is the main topic of conversation in the village.
- Kamala Harris' grandfather was born in Thulasendrapuram more than a hundred years ago and grew up in the village.
- Harris has often emphasized how much the values of her Indian ancestors have shaped and guided her.
The temple is filled with rhythmic chanting. The Hindu priest raises a light in front of the image of a deity. The inhabitants of the tiny village in the south of India have gathered to pray for Kamala Harris. On this day, they are not among themselves. A whole crowd of reporters accompanies the scene. Cameramen fight for the best angles. Even a few tourists have come.
The village is hardly any different from countless others in the rural region in the state of Tamil Nadu. But what makes Thulasendrapuram special is a connection to the US Democratic candidate, who could be the first woman and the first person with South Asian roots to take power in the White House.
Posters and banners like in the US election campaign
While millions of Americans cast their votes, there is also excitement in Thulasendrapuram, thousands of kilometers away. In the village surrounded by rice fields and coconut palms, Harris is an important topic of conversation in the local tea room. A number of banners and posters with her face on them hang along the streets.
The deity of the temple, Aiyanar, is very powerful, says the priest M. Natarajan. If the people in the village address their prayers to Aiyanar, the god will help Harris to victory.
Harris' grandfather was born in Thulasendrapuram more than a hundred years ago and grew up in the village. As an adult, he moved to the metropolis of Chennai, some 350 kilometers away, where he worked as a high-ranking government official until his retirement. His now world-famous granddaughter has never been to Thulasendrapuram and no relatives of hers still live there. Nevertheless, the family that made it this far in the US is revered by the people of Thulasendrapuram.
Harris' mother was born in India
It is something special that the granddaughter of a man from "our village" is running for the US presidency, says Natarajan. "Her victory will be good news for all of us." Things already seem to be looking up for Thulasendrapuram thanks to the unexpected fame. Work recently began on the construction of a water storage tank. The funds for this were donated by a local bank. According to residents, a plaque with Harris' name will be attached to the tank at the end.
The deceased mother of the US Democrat, Shyamala Gopalan, was also born in India. She then moved to the USA as a student and married a man from Jamaica. Her daughter's name, Kamala, is a word from the ancient Indian language Sanskrit, which means "lotus flower".
Apart from a few trips during her childhood, Harris has not spent much time in India herself - especially not since she became Vice President. But she has repeatedly spoken emotionally of her special connection to the country of her mother's birth, who came to the US as a 19-year-old and became a cancer researcher. In the final hours of the campaign, Harris' team released a video entitled "Mother". In it, the voice of a spokesperson says: "This daughter of Shyamala, the daughter of this American story, is ready to lead us on the path ahead."
Fondness for South Indian food
Harris has often emphasized how much the values of her Indian ancestors have shaped and guided her. It is also known that she has a preference for South Indian food. She is said to be particularly fond of a dish called idli, a type of steamed rice cake.
At the temple in Thulasendrapuram, the US presidential candidate is included in a list of donors because an aunt, Sarala Gopalan, gave money in her name. A large banner hangs in front of the building wishing the "daughter of the country" every success in the elections.
Harris has made the village famous with her candidacy, says Manikandan Ganesan, who runs a small store near the temple. He hopes that she will come to visit one day. Even the announcement of a visit "would make us very happy", he emphasizes. And should she win the election, it would be "a great source of happiness for us".
Back in 2020, when Harris was running alongside President Joe Biden, residents of Thulasendrapuram prayed for her and then set off fireworks when she finally became Vice President. Since then, Harris has also been a source of inspiration for many women in the village.
Local politician Arulmozhi Sudhaka says that Harris represents an important step towards strengthening women's rights in places like Thulasendrapuram, where most women still struggle with discrimination and inequality. In the past, women in the region were often "not even allowed to leave the house" and now "a woman from our village is running in the US presidential election". "Future generations will see her as a role model for success in life," emphasizes Sudhaka.
More on the 2024 US election
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