Hindu prayer to open US Senate

Kapurthala, July 6 (UNI) History will be created when Rajan Zed, a Hindu chaplain, will read Hindu prayer at the opening of the US Senate in Washington on July 12.

This will be the first time any Hindu prayer will be delivered in the US Senate since its formation in 1789.

Rajan Zed grew up in Kapurthala and worked as a journalist in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab before migrating to the US.

According to information received here, Zed is still to finalise the exact prayer he will deliver but he is thinking of selecting something from Rig Veda besides lines from Upanishads and Bhagvad Gita.

The Full text of the prayer will be included in the Congressional Record.

''July 12 will be an illustrious day for all Americans and memorable day for us when opening prayers from ancient Hindu scriptures will be read in the great hall of democracy,'' Zed said.

Rajan Zed, besides being Director of Public Affairs and Interfaith Relations of Hindu Temple of Northern Nevada, is also Public Relations Officer of India Association of Northern Nevada, affiliated with World Congress of Faiths-London.

He volunteers as a chaplain in various hospitals of northwestern Nevada and nearby California and is active in interfaith dialogue in the region.

Since its formation, all sessions of the Senate have been opened with prayer. Usually the Senate Chaplain delivers the opening prayer, but sometimes guest chaplains are invited from all over the country to read the prayer.

UNI