The Utah State Senate will begin differently today. As in other states, the Utah's Senate meeting begins with a prayer or religious rite. However, today will mark the first time a Hindu prayer has opened the Utah Senate meeting.

Rajan Zed, a Hindu chaplain, will read a prayer from the "Rig-Veda," an ancient book of Hindu scripture that dates back more than 3,000 years.

Zed will first read the prayer in Sanscrit, a language considered sacred by Hindus, and then an English translation. After the prayer, Zed will meet with Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and with Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve.

However, Utah is not Zed's first stop. Zed began his mission last year when he read the prayer in the U.S. Senate. Since then, he has also offered the Hindu prayer in the Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and California senate meetings. In Nevada and Washington, D.C., there were disturbances as some Christian groups protested.

Rajan Zed came from India and currently lives in Reno, Nev. Along with being a Hindu chaplain, he is actively involved in literally dozens of community and national organizations. Zed promotes communication between different religions and has participated on The Washington Post's religious online forum.

"All of us are looking for the truth, and dialogue brings us mutual enrichment," Zed said.

He said people need to take religion seriously. As people join in interfaith dialogue, they can be spiritually enriched and the journey will be easier, he said.

"We need to take religion very seriously," Zed said.

Hinduism is one of the world's oldest religions that is still practiced. With around 1 billion followers, it is the third largest religion in the world.

While about 900 million of the Hindu followers live in India and Nepal, there are many right here in Utah. Zed said Utah has approximately 500 Hindu families. Most live in the Utah Valley and Salt Lake County areas so they can be near Hindu temples.