Kamala Harris' Ancestral Village In Tamil Nadu Thrilled Following Biden's Endorsement

Thulasendrapuram, a small village in Tamil Nadu, is preparing to celebrate as Kamala Harris, the Vice President of the United States, edges closer to becoming the Democratic nominee and a potential presidential candidate.

President Joe Biden recently announced on X that he is withdrawing from the presidential race, making Kamala Harris a strong contender for the Democratic ticket. This development has heightened excitement in Thulasendrapuram, her ancestral village on her mother's side, as reported by Reuters.

Harris' maternal grandfather was born in Thulasendrapuram, a village she visited at the age of five. She used to walk along the Chennai beach, located just 320 km from the village, with her grandfather.

Although Harris has not visited Thulasendrapuram since becoming Vice President, the village's pride and excitement regarding her political rise remain strong. When she became Vice President in 2021, the village celebrated with fireworks, posters, calendars featuring her pictures, and free chocolates.

The New York Times reported that a special ceremony was held in the village temple to pray for Harris, and her name was even inscribed inside the temple. Many in the place refer to her as the "daughter of the village."

As her political career progresses, Thulasendrapuram's celebrations are expected to become even grander. K Kaliyaperumal, a member of the village committee, told Reuters that if Harris were to win and become President, the celebration would be on a much larger scale, akin to India's recent cricket World Cup victory, which brought immense joy to the nation.

The villagers have been closely following Harris' journey through news and television, hoping for some acknowledgment from her if she wins.

"Residents expected a visit, statement or at least a mention about the village, but that didn't happen," said G Manikandan, a shopkeeper in Thulasendrapuram, where about 2,000 people live, Reuters reported.

He added, "Many people hung calendars with her picture outside their homes when she became Vice President. They are not so prominent anymore. But it's likely they will now make a comeback."

While some villagers may feel disappointed by the lack of acknowledgment, SV Ramanan, who manages a temple dedicated to Harris' grandfather's family deity, empathised, noting that her family left Thulasendrapuram in the 1930s.

He compared the village's excitement to cheering for a horse race where the winning horse "doesn't understand why you are shouting and why you are clapping."