Hindus in India Show Support for Kamala Harris with Victory Prayers
The U.S. election is capturing global attention, including in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, where worshippers recently prayed for a Kamala Harris victory. In Madurai, Hindu priests and devotees gathered at temples to perform rituals in her honor, an event underscoring the pride many Indians feel in Harris’s historic candidacy. Harris, whose mother was born in Tamil Nadu and emigrated to the U.S. for a doctoral program, has spoken frequently about her Indian heritage, sharing memories of visiting her grandfather in Chennai and celebrating Indian festivals during her childhood.
"We believe that Kamala Harris, our own Tamil and Indian heritage leader, is set to make history in this election," said Ballu, the founder of the Hindu group Anushanath’s Anukragni Organisation, in Madurai. The group organized a special ceremony, captured in videos by Reuters and ANI News, showing Harris’s image displayed alongside Hindu deities as worshippers offered prayers, flower petals, and fruits for her success. This blend of cultural pride and political hope highlights the strong emotional connection between Harris’s background and her supporters in India, who see her as both a representation of Indian diaspora success and a symbol of shared values.
Many Indian Americans are rallying around Harris’s candidacy, drawing from shared cultural ties and her barrier-breaking role as a woman of Indian and Jamaican heritage. National and grassroots organizers have noted a swell of support among Indian American communities since Harris joined the Democratic ticket, with many viewing her as a bridge between their heritage and their hopes for the future in the United States. This groundswell has led to heightened engagement, with more Indian Americans volunteering, voting, and organizing events, all spurred by the potential of seeing a woman with roots in their own communities step into one of the highest offices in the U.S.
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