Battle of blessings! Hawan for Donald Trump, Puja for Kamala Harris: Indian priests hold rival rituals for US poll runners

As voting begins in US presidential election, priests in India have organised parallel rituals for the presidential candidates. In a unique display of political and cultural solidarity, sadhus in Delhi and residents of a Telangana village have held separate ceremonies to pray for the success of former President Donald Trump and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, respectively.

In Delhi, a group of sadhus performed a hawan (fire ritual) calling for Trump’s victory. The sadhus chanted slogans such as “Vote for Donald Trump. Make world great again,” while placing vermillion on Trump’s photograph. Displayed around them were posters featuring Trump alongside Tesla CEO Elon Musk, politician Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, with the slogan “Vote for Donald Trump to save Hindus” prominently featured. 

The ritual began with the sounding of a conch shell by Saraswati, the leading sadhu, as followers surrounded him holding up photos of Trump, including an image showing Trump with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the words “Friend Forever” inscribed.

This ceremony, captured in a video that quickly went viral on social media, drew mixed reactions from viewers, with many questioning the decision to support Trump over Harris, who has Indian heritage.

Meanwhile, in Telangana’s Bhadradri Kothagudem district, residents of Palwancha village have been holding an elaborate, 11-day ritual to bless Kamala Harris in her political journey. The event, led by the Shyamala Gopalan Foundation—named after Harris’s mother—features a grand “Sri Sri Sri Raja Shyamala Devi Sahitha Shata Chandi Maha Sudarshana Yagna.”

According to the foundation’s founder, Nalla Suresh Reddy, the yagna is “aimed at ensuring Harris’s success by invoking divine blessings.”

Residents from nearby areas have joined the ritual, with about 7,000 expected to participate by the final day. This event holds special significance for many in the area, as Harris’s ancestral village, Thulasendrapuram, is located in Tamil Nadu’s Thiruvarur district. There, the Shri Dharmasastha temple, which includes Harris’s name among its benefactors, held special prayers in her honour, drawing community members proud of her connection to their homeland.

(With inputs from agencies)