The tiny village of Thulasemthirapuram in Tamil Nadu is praying for US Presidential Democratic candidate Kamala Harris’ victory, strengthening her family’s ancestral ties with the village dating back a century. Initiated by the local elected councillor Arulmozhi, the priest of the temple of Kamala’s family deity performed a special ritual in her honour. 

“This is a powerful God. We prayed last time and she had become the Vice President. This time we are confident she’d become the President of the USA. She’s a sign of women empowerment and an inspiration for women to scale greater heights,” Arulmozhi told NDTV.

Kamala’s maternal grandfather PV Gopalan, a bureaucrat, was born and brought up here before he moved to the then-Madras where he used to take Kamala for a walk along Elliot’s Beach. Kamala has said her grandpa had made a tremendous impact on her.

Many years ago, Kamala donated Rs 5,000 for the renovation of the temple and her name remains engraved in the list of donors. 

“Kamala has to win to save democracy,” said Kamala’s friend Sharon, now based in Chennai. “She has to become the first woman President of the US. Already we are pretty late with many countries including India have had women Presidents and Prime Ministers.”

A few posters put up in the village hail Kamala as “a daughter of the soil” and wish her the best in the Presidential race. TS Anbarasan, another man from the village who now lives in the nearby Mannargudi town compared Kamala to Sunita Williams. “We are all proud of their Indian connection and their accomplishments. They are role models,” he said. 

Arulmozhi the councillor plans to serve a free meal on Wednesday if Kamala wins. “We will serve her favourite idly,” she says.

However, some in the village are also oblivious to what is happening. A man at the local tea shop near the temple added “Kamala’s grandfather lived here many decades ago. None of us know him and hence we are not following this.”