Kamala Harris posters & prayers dot ancestral Tamil Nadu village on US election D-day

"From Thulasenthirapuram to America, US vice president candidate contestant from the native origin of Thulasendhirapuram Kamala Harris, we wish her great success," read posters decking the roads of the small village in Thiruvarur district, Tamil Nadu, wishing the vice presidential nominee success ahead of the polls.

From posters to placards to special prayers offered at a small temple in Thulasendhirapuram village, the entire town in Mannargudi taluk in Thiruvarur district has been abuzz with activities and preparations for Kamala Harris’s win in the US Elections. 

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Special archanas, and abhishekams (rituals to the deity) have been going on in the quaint temple village that was once home to Kamala Harris's maternal grandfather PV Gopalan. Being the ancestral village for the US senator’s family, the village gained a lot of buzz following her nomination to the vice-president candidate aside Presidential candidate Joe Biden.

The village temple, called Shri Dharmasastha Temple, has received funds from the Harris family residing in India for an honourary event celebrating the deity, and the names of the contributors included Harris’s maternal grandfather PV Gopalan’s name put out in a plaque put up in the temple premises. The temple recently held a 'puja' (a special offering to God accompanied by a prayer) for Harris's forthcoming elections. 

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According to villagers, Kamala’s grandfather hailed from this village, and was a diplomat working in several countries, even though his job kept him often away from his town. Even as the family has spent little time in the village, their family temple is still present in the village. Her name along with grandparents’ name is etched on the walls of the temple, acknowledging the contributions they have made for the temple over the years.

"Her grandfather resided in the agraharam (Hindu Brahmin quarters) some 70-80 years back. Every now and then, relatives of Kamala Harris will send in donations for the Shri Dharmasastha Temple, including donations for the recent kumbhabhishekam for the temple in 2015-16. Villagers have been thronging the temple wishing luck and prayers for the vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris beaming with pride wishing her a sweeping victory in the US Elections,” says Natarajan, the priest at the Shri Dharmasastha temple, speaking to Republic

Several posters have been erected in parts of the village congratulating the vice-presidential nominee saying she has made the village proud, with villagers singing praises of her family. 

One of the pictures of the celebration posters was also shared on Twitter by Kamala’s niece Meena Harris on August 17th, in which she said "I was sent this from Tamil Nadu where our Indian family is from. It says 'PV Gopalan’s granddaughter is victorious.' I knew my great grandfather from our family trips to Chennai when I was young—he was a big figure for my grandma and I know they’re together somewhere smiling now.” She also shared a photograph of PV Gopalan in the post.

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