Acclaimed Indo-American leader Rajan Zed was honoured by famous Malibu Hindu Temple in Southern California (USA) on Saturday for his works and services for the Hindu and Indo-American community and interfaith dialogue.
Temple president, Nadadur Varadan, presented Zed with a shawl and a fruit basket on the occasion and listed his various achievements. Chief Priest Narasimha Bhattar recited special blessing prayers for him in front of sanctum of Lord Venkateswara. Other Temple leaders who participated included Vice Presidents Ravindran Varadarajan and Raghavapillai Manavalan and Pooja Director Koka Venkatesh.
Zed, speaking on the occasion, listed various ideas on raising proud Hindu children outside India, what Hindus can do for community, etc. Talking about pluralism, he said that the challenge for all of us was to learn to live together with our seriously diverse traditions, not only in peace but also in some kind of trust and shared devotion.
Rajan Zed read the groundbreaking first Hindu prayer in United States Senate in Washington DC in its 218 years history, besides reciting the historic first Hindu prayers in California, Arizona, Washington, Utah, New Mexico, and Nevada Senates; Arizona House of Representatives and Nevada Assembly. He is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, Spiritual Advisor to the National Association of Interchurch and Interfaith Families, and Director of Interfaith Relations of Nevada Clergy Association. He is one of the panellists for "On Faith", a prestigious interactive conversation on religion produced jointly by Newsweek and washingtonpost.com.
Malibu Hindu Temple in Calabasas in Southern California, spread over 4.5 acres and whose history dates back to 1977, is owned and operated by the Hindu Temple Society of Southern California. Built according to Shilpa Shastra in Chola style by prominent temple architect from India S.M. Muthiah Sthapathi, it is said to be one of the most authentic Hindu temple in western hemisphere. Famous entertainer/artist Britney Spears had her son blessed in a large ceremony by priests of this temple. The upper complex of the temple has Lord Venkateswara as the presiding deity while the lower complex has Lord Shiva as the presiding deity, besides shrines for other deities in both the complexes.
Details of the picture attached: (from left to right) Ravindran Varadarajan, Raghavapillai Manavalan, Shipa Zed, Rajan Zed, Nadadur Varadan, Koka Venkatesh at the honour event.
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