In a display of support for the U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, the residents of her ancestral village in southern India held prayers in a temple more than 8,000 miles from Washington.

Harris' maternal grandfather, P.V. Gopalan, was born over a century ago in Thulasendrapuram, a leafy village in Tamil Nadu, southern India.

"There will be a special prayer on Tuesday morning at the temple," G. Manikandan, a villager who runs a small store near the temple, said. "Celebrations will follow if she wins."

At the temple, Harris's name and that of her grandfather are engraved into a stone that lists public donations. Outside, a large banner wishes "the daughter of the land" success in the election.

Gopalan and his family migrated a few hundred miles to the coastal city of Chennai, Tamil Nadu's capital, where he worked as a high-ranking government official until his retirement.

The village gained global attention four years ago when residents prayed for Harris' 2020 election, before celebrating her inauguration as U.S. Vice President by setting off firecrackers and distributing food.

Harris and her Republican rival Donald Trump were scrambling to get supporters to the polls in a historically close contest, which means it could take days for the winner to emerge.