Hindu opens Utah Senate session on an ‘Om’ and a prayer

USA: Chaplain Rajan Zed made history Wednesday, offering a Hindu prayer to open the morning session of the Utah Senate. The Indo-American leader opened with Om, prayed in Sanskrit and translated each line into English. He closed with Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti: Peace, peace, peace be unto all.

Indra Neelameggham, manager of the the Sri Ganesha Hindu Temple in South Jordan, accompanied Rajan Zed, who flew to Utah Tuesday from his home in Reno, Nevada. He wore the classic tilak symbol on his forehead, made of aromatic sandalwood powder and denoting auspiciousness, Rajan Zed said in an interview following the prayer.

"We’re very happy that we were invited," he smiled. "I think it was well received." He performed similiar duties on the floor of the U.S. Senate last June.

Following Wednesday’s prayer, Rajan Zed had meetings scheduled with Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and Quentin Cook, one of the members of the Quorum of the Twelve in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Utah has two Hindu temples – in South Jordan and Spanish Fork – where about 900 families worship regularly, Rajan Zed said. "They’ve had very good experiences here, enjoying good relationships with the LDS church and other religions in the Salt Lake Valley," Rajan Zed said.

Source: http://www.sltrib.com

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