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Firecrackers and prayers as Indians celebrate Harris' win

THULASENDRAPURAM, India (AP) - Waking up to the news of Kamala Harris' election as U.S. vice president, overjoyed people in her Indian grandfather's hometown set off firecrackers and offered prayers on Sunday.

Groups gathered at street corners in Thulasendrapuram, a tiny village of 350 people, reading newspapers and chatting about Joe Biden and Harris' victory before moving to a temple.

A woman wrote in color powder outside her home: 'œCongratulations Kamala Harris. Pride of our village. Vanakkam (Greetings) America.'ť

Most of them had gone to sleep by the time Biden clinched the winning threshold of 270 Electoral College votes, making Harris the first woman and the first person of South Asian descent to be elected vice president.

'œFor two or three days we kept our fingers crossed while the result was delayed,'ť said village resident Kalidas Vamdayar. 'œNow it's a joyful moment for us. We are enjoying it.'ť

'œWe will celebrate with firecrackers, distributing Indian sweets to people and praying in the temple,'ť Vamdayar said. "We will request her to come here. She would have heard our voice and she may come.'ť

Tamil Nadu state Food Minister R. Kamraj led about 100 people at the Dharma Sastha temple for a 20-minute prayer during which the idol of Hindu deity Ayyanar, a form of Lord Shiva, was washed with milk and decked with flowers by the priest. He chanted hymns after lighting oil lamps, and the villagers bowed their heads in respect.

'œKamala Harris is the daughter of our village," said Aulmozhi Sudhakar, a village councilor. 'œFrom children to senior citizens, each one of us is awaiting the day she will take the oath as the vice president of the U.S.'ť

There was more singing, dancing and firecrackers throughout the day in the village, where cutouts and posters wishing Harris a 'œgrand success'ť adorned walls.

People congregated in groups of 30-40 exchanging sweets, delicacies and snacks at different spots. They seemed to be celebrating Diwali, the most popular Hindu festival of lights, a week ahead of time.

Young children carrying placards with photos of Harris ran around the village.

Several politicians from nearby districts visited the village with their supporters, meeting local residents and visiting the temple. Musicians played wind and string instruments with cymbals and drums.

J. Sudhakar, who organized prayers on Election Day, expressed his wish that Harris will visit. As Americans voted, around 50 residents, with folded hands, lined up in the temple that reverberated with the sound of ringing bells, and a Hindu priest gave them sweets and flowers as a religious offering.

Women in the village, which is located 350 kilometers (215 miles) from the southern coastal city of Chennai, used bright colors to write 'œWe Wish Kamala Harris Wins'ť on the ground, alongside a thumbs-up sign.

The lush green village is the hometown of Harris' maternal grandfather, who had moved to Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu state, decades ago.

Inside the temple where people have been holding special prayers, Harris' name is sculpted into a stone that lists public donations made to the temple in 2014, along with that of her grandfather who gave money decades ago.

Harris' late mother also was born in India, before moving to the U.S. at the age of 19 to study at the University of California. She married a Jamaican man, and they named their daughter Kamala, Sanskrit for 'œlotus flower.'ť

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Harris' success as pathbreaking, and a matter of immense pride not just for her relatives but also for all Indian-Americans. "I am confident that the vibrant India-US ties will get even stronger with your support and leadership,'ť he tweeted.

There has been both excitement - and some concern - over Biden's choice of Harris as his running mate.

Modi had invested in President Donald Trump, who visited India in February. Modi's many Hindu nationalist supporters also were upset with Harris when she expressed concern about the divided Himalayan region of Kashmir, whose statehood India's government revoked in August last year.

Harris stood by Pramila Jayapal, another U.S. congresswoman of Indian origin, when Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar refused to attend a meeting in the United States over her participation last year. Jayapal had earlier moved a resolution on the Kashmir issue critical of India in the House of Representatives.

Rights groups accuse India of human rights violations in Indian-controlled Kashmir, where insurgent groups have been fighting for independence or merger with neighboring Pakistan since 1989.

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This story has been corrected to show that Harris' maternal grandfather had moved to Chennai, not the U.S.

Villagers burst firecrackers to celebrate the victory of U.S. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in Painganadu a neighboring village of Thulasendrapuram, the hometown of Harris' maternal grandfather, south of Chennai, Tamil Nadu state, India, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. Waking up to the news of Kamala Harris' election as Joe Biden's running mate, overjoyed people in her small ancestral Indian village set off firecrackers, carried her placards and offered prayers. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) The Associated Press
An Indian woman distributes sweets among villagers during celebrations for the victory of U.S. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in Painganadu a neighboring village of Thulasendrapuram, the hometown of Harris' maternal grandfather, south of Chennai, Tamil Nadu state, India, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. Waking up to the news of Kamala Harris' election as Joe Biden's running mate, overjoyed people in her Indian grandfather's hometown are setting off firecrackers, carrying her placards and offering prayers. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) The Associated Press
Villagers celebrate the victory of U.S. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in Painganadu a neighboring village of Thulasendrapuram, the hometown of Harris' maternal grandfather, south of Chennai, Tamil Nadu state, India, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. Waking up to the news of Kamala Harris' election as Joe Biden's running mate, overjoyed people in her small ancestral Indian village set off firecrackers, carried her placards and offered prayers. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) The Associated Press
An elderly villager holds a placard of U.S. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris during celebrations for her victory in Painganadu a neighboring village of Thulasendrapuram, the hometown of Harris' maternal grandfather, south of Chennai, Tamil Nadu state, India, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. Waking up to the news of Kamala Harris' election as Joe Biden's running mate, overjoyed people in her Indian grandfather's hometown are setting off firecrackers, carrying her placards and offering prayers. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) The Associated Press
A local vendor sells flowers in front of a hoarding featuring U.S. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in the hometown of Harris' maternal grandfather, in Thulasendrapuram, south of Chennai, Tamil Nadu state, India, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. After rooting for Kamala Harris as President-elect Joe Biden running mate, people in her small ancestral Indian village woke up Sunday morning to the news of her making history. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) The Associated Press
Villagers burst firecrackers to celebrate the victory of U.S. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris in Thulasendrapuram, the hometown of Harris' maternal grandfather, south of Chennai, Tamil Nadu state, India, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. Waking up to the news of Kamala Harris' election as Joe Biden's running mate, overjoyed people in her Indian grandfather's hometown are setting off firecrackers, carrying her placards and offering prayers. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) The Associated Press
Women carry large plates filled with traditional sweets to be distributed among villagers after special prayers to celebrate the victory of U.S. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris at a Hindu temple in Thulasendrapuram, the hometown of Harris' maternal grandfather, south of Chennai, Tamil Nadu state, India, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. Waking up to the news of Kamala Harris' election as Joe Biden's running mate, overjoyed people in her Indian grandfather's hometown are setting off firecrackers, carrying her placards and offering prayers. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) The Associated Press
Tamil Nadu state Food Minister R. Kamraj, center right in white, receives offerings from a priest after leading special prayers to celebrate the victory of U.S. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris at a Hindu temple in Thulasendrapuram, the hometown of Harris' maternal grandfather, south of Chennai, Tamil Nadu state, India, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. Waking up to the news of Kamala Harris' election as Joe Biden's running mate, overjoyed people in her Indian grandfather's hometown are setting off firecrackers, carrying her placards and offering prayers. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) The Associated Press
Artists play Nadaswaram, a wind instrument traditionally played during auspicious occasions as they celebrate the victory of U.S. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris at Hindu a temple in Thulasendrapuram, the hometown of Harris' maternal grandfather, south of Chennai, Tamil Nadu state, India, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. Waking up to the news of Kamala Harris' election as Joe Biden's running mate, overjoyed people in her Indian grandfather's hometown are setting off firecrackers, carrying her placards and offering prayers. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) The Associated Press
Indian village women, one holding a placard featuring U.S. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris during celebrations for her victory, in Painganadu a neighboring village of Thulasendrapuram, the hometown of Harris' maternal grandfather, south of Chennai, Tamil Nadu state, India, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. Waking up to the news of Kamala Harris' election as Joe Biden's running mate, overjoyed people in her Indian grandfather's hometown are setting off firecrackers, carrying her placards and offering prayers. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) The Associated Press
Hindu devotees receive offerings from a priest after a special prayer was held to celebrate the victory of U.S. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris at a temple in Thulasendrapuram, the hometown of Harris' maternal grandfather, south of Chennai, Tamil Nadu state, India, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. Waking up to the news of Kamala Harris' election as Joe Biden's running mate, overjoyed people in her Indian grandfather's hometown are setting off firecrackers, carrying her placards and offering prayers. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) The Associated Press
Indian children carry placards of U.S. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris during celebrations for her victory at a temple in Thulasendrapuram, the hometown of Harris' maternal grandfather, south of Chennai, Tamil Nadu state, India, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020. Waking up to the news of Kamala Harris' election as Joe Biden's running mate, overjoyed people in her Indian grandfather's hometown are setting off firecrackers, carrying her placards and offering prayers. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi) The Associated Press
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