WASHINGTON, DC, June 26 – Rajan Zed, first Hindu to offer the opening prayer in the US Senate, delivered the third opening Hindu prayer in the House of Representatives on June 19.
Starting and concluding with “Om,” Zed read the Gayatri Mantra followed by excerpts from the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita–all in English. He sprinkled a few drops of Ganga water on the House podium. He presented a copy of Bhagavad-Gita to Congressman Michael Honda, who introduced and thanked Zed. He was presented with certificate of appreciation by House Speaker John Boehner, and spoke with Honda, Congresswoman Donna F. Edwards from Maryland, Congresswoman Janice Hahn from California and House Chaplain Fr. Patrick J. Conroy.
The first Hindu leader to give the opening prayer in Congress was Venkatachalapathi Samuldrala, priest of the Shiva Hindu Temple in Parma, Ohio, in 2000, on the day that the Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, addressed a joint session of Congress. The second for the House was Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami of Kauai Aadheenam in 2013 at the invitation of Representative Ed Royce of California and Rep. Tulsi Gabbar of Hawaii (the first Hindu representative in Congress).
