CANTON -- Rajan Zed has recited Hindu prayers to open sessions of legislative bodies that range from the U.S. Senate to the Rockford City Council.

Shortly after 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Zed plans to give the invocation at the Canton City Council meeting. It is to be conducted remotely, over the Zoom video-conferencing platform.

Zed, a Nevada-based Hindu cleric, asked Canton officials if he could participate in the meeting. It isnt clear why. Canton Mayor Kent McDowell said hes aware of only three or four practicing Hindu families in his Fulton County city of about 14,000.

"I was concerned at first, because I was kind of stumped. Why Canton?" McDowell said.

"Im just thinking that the gentleman probably knows that there is a small population of practicing Hindus in this area, so hes reaching out to that area."

In granting Zed permission to offer the invocation, the mayor also cited constitutional protections regarding freedoms of speech and religion.

"I just felt like having been in law enforcement all my life and sworn to uphold the Constitution, this is the right thing to do," said McDowell, a former Canton police chief.

When McDowell first received an unsolicited email from Zed, the mayor thought the cleric was from Canton. But the immigrant from India resides about 1,800 miles to the west.

Zed is president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, based in the northern-Nevada city of Reno. According to Zed, the organization promotes Hindu identity and fosters interfaith dialogue.

Among other things, Zed helped lead a recent campaign against nightclubs using as decor statues Buddhists and Hindus consider sacred. He also was successful in persuading Wayfair, an online home-goods retailer, to stop selling a beach towel that featured an image of a Hindu deity.

In 2007, Zed offered the first official Hindu prayer in the U.S. Senate, where he appeared as a guest chaplain. Christian protesters in the Senate gallery apparently disrupted Zeds prayers.

According to reports, Zed has led prayers at numerous legislatures and councils, mostly in the American West. One published report suggested Zeds appearances usually arent controversial, although his background is somewhat of a mystery.

When Nick in the Morning twice asked Zed by email why he chose Canton as a prayer location, he did not answer. Instead, he responded with a list of Illinois locations where he had been welcomed. Among them were the state legislature and the Kane County Board.

"I requested Mayor Kent A. McDowell for scheduling me to read (the) invocation remotely in Canton City Council and he replied: Wed be happy to accommodate you," Zed wrote.

In a news release, Zed stated he plans to recite in the Sanskrit language from the Rigveda, an ancient collection of scriptures. Afterward, he intends to recite the prayers in English. His presentation is expected to last about three minutes.

"Lead us from the unreal to the real, Lead us from darkness to light, and Lead us from death to immortality," Zed wrote regarding the content of one of the prayers.

McDowell said he performed due diligence by internet about Zed before his request was approved.

At in-person Canton council meetings, a Christian minster usually offers an invocation. During remote meetings conducted since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, McDowell recites an invocation, with suggestions from local pastors.

"I think its important," McDowell said about the pre-meeting prayer.

Regarding Zeds scheduled appearance, McDowell said he received one message of complaint from a Canton resident.

"Why would you allow this to happen in our city? My simple response was its a First Amendment right," McDowell said.

That appeared to satisfy the complainant. McDowell also appears ready to satisfy other, non-Christian clerics who want to pray in front of the council before it gets down to business.

"If theres somebody who practices Judaism or Islam, I wouldnt deny anybody that right, either," the mayor said. "I dont believe I have the right to deny somebody like that."

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Canton City Council to receive invocation from Hindu cleric with noteworthy past - Peoria Journal Star