Tamil Nadu’s quaint village Thulasendrapuram, also the ancestral village of United States Vice President Kamala Harris, is abuzz with excitement as she inches closer to potentially becoming the Democratic nominee and a future President of the US.
The village’s enthusiasm was reignited when US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the presidential race, positioning Harris as a leading candidate for the Democratic ticket. This news has sparked a wave of anticipation in Thulasendrapuram, located approximately 12,900 km from Washington DC, as reported by Reuters.
Kamala Harris’ maternal grandfather hailed from Thulasendrapuram. Although Harris visited the village when she was just five years old, walking along the beaches of Chennai, 320 km away with him, she has not returned since assuming the role of Vice President. Nonetheless, the village’s pride in her achievements has only grown.
In 2021, when Harris was inaugurated as Vice President, Thulasendrapuram celebrated with a fervour that included firecrackers, posters, and calendars featuring her image. The local temple even held a special ceremony to honour her, inscribing her name on its walls and referring to her as the “daughter of the village”.
As Harris’ political trajectory continues to ascend, the celebrations in Thulasendrapuram are expected to become even more elaborate. K Kaliyaperumal, a village committee member, expressed that if Harris were to win the presidency, the festivities would rival the jubilant celebrations seen across Bharat during the recent cricket World Cup victory.
The villagers have been closely following Harris’ career through news and television, hoping their village will receive some recognition. G Manikandan, a local shopkeeper, noted that while the village had anticipated a visit or mention, it has not yet materialised. He added that although Harris’ pictures were once prominently displayed on calendars around the village, they may soon make a resurgence.
SV Ramanan, who manages a temple dedicated to Harris’ grandfather’s family deity, acknowledged the village’s enthusiasm despite Harris’ likely unawareness of it. He likened the situation to cheering for a racehorse that doesn’t understand the crowd’s excitement, reflecting a mix of pride and understanding of the distance between Harris and her ancestral village.
