Painganadu: A remote village in Tamil Nadu has shot to fame following the nomination of US senator Kamala Harris as the vice-presidential candidate by the Democratic Party for the American Presidential elections 2020. The nondescript village has been gaining attention after it was revealed that Harris's maternal grandparents belong to this place.
The agrarian village of Painganadu is located near Mannargudi in Tiruvarur district near here in the Cauvery delta. With digital banners being put up in the village wishing her victory, the entire place has been decked up and is beaming with pride.
'She is a proud daughter of this soil' has become the common refrain. Harris’ mother, Shyamala, was the daughter of P V Gopalan who was active in the Independence movement and then became a high-ranking civil servant who fought against corruption. Her grandmother Rajam belonged to the nearby Thulasenthirapuram village. Digital banners have been put up in the village wishing her victory.
Though Kamala Harris’s ancestors left the village, they had kept their connection with the village temple intact.
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Gopalan and other members of his family have made donations for temple renovation during various periods. The villagers are offering prayers at 'Sevuga Perumal temple' for Harris's victory in the upcoming elections.
The village temple, 'Shri Dharmasastha' of Lord Vishnu recently held a 'puja' for Harris's upcoming elections. According to the temple administration in-charge, the family of Kamala Harris is still connected to their roots and cultural values. The family has also donated funds for temple's consecration.
As recent as 2014, a donation was made in the name of Kamala Harris, says the temple trustee Ramani.
People of the area have been sharing photographs of the village, temple, her ancestral home and plaque in the temple carrying information about the donations made by the family members on social media.
US Democratic party presidential nominee Joe Biden had on Tuesday named 55-year-old Harris as his vice-presidential running mate, making history by selecting the first black woman to compete on a major party’s presidential ticket.
Harris, whose father is an African from Jamaica and mother an Indian, is currently the US senator from California.
READ: Kamala Harris' uncle says family ecstatic, proud on VP pick
