Close X
Monday, November 25, 2024
ADVT 
India

Muslim Girl From Thane Tops Bhagwad Gita Competition

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 03 Apr, 2015 03:11 PM
    A 12-year old Muslim schoolgirl recently topped an examination on knowledge of the Hindu holy book, Bhagwad Gita, conducted by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), it was announced here on Friday.
     
    The winner is Maryam Siddiqui, a class 6 student of Cosmopolitan High School of Mira Road, a Muslim-dominated township in western Thane.
     
    She topped the Gita Champions League inter-school competition held in January in which over 4,000 students participated from around 195 different schools in the city and other parts of the state.
     
    Among other things, the participants were evaluated on their knowledge of Bhagwad Gita in a multiple choice of a question paper with 100 marks, the results of which were announced mid-March.
     
    Curious about inter-religious knowledge, Maryam explained the teachings of the Bhagwad Gita in the best possible manner and bagged the top honours with her answers.
     
    "I have always liked to study different religions and have read up a lot about them in my spare time. When my teachers informed me about this competition, I decided to take it up and understand what Bhagwad Gita is all about," an excited Maryam told media persons at her home.
     
    "In the Bhagwad Gita, there are stories on how Lord Krishna advised Arjun on life, respect for all and other things… I really liked it all," said Maryam who has read the Bible and is currently taking lessons in the Muslim holy scripture, the Quran.
     
    For the compeitition, Maryam referred to around a 100 books on Bhagwad Gita, its teachings and interpretations and her stellar performance has made her family and school proud.
     
    "We believe in respecting and accepting all religions... no religion preaches ills or hatred," said her doting father Asif Siddiqui who wholeheartedly supported her endeavour.
     
    The Bhagwad Gita is a 700-verse work, which is part of the epic Mahabharata and Mahatma Gandhi always recited it, calling it his 'spiritual dictionary.'

    MORE India ARTICLES

    Indian Aid Worker Freed By Taliban After 8 Months, Modi 'Delighted'

    Indian Aid Worker Freed By Taliban After 8 Months, Modi 'Delighted'
    India secured the freedom of aid worker Father Alexis Premkumar Antonysamy, eight months after he was kidnapped by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday expressed happiness at the release and spoke to Father Alexis.

    Indian Aid Worker Freed By Taliban After 8 Months, Modi 'Delighted'

    Terrific Performance By India: Sachin Tendulkar

    Former batting great Sachin Tendulkar hailed India's 130-run victory over South Africa here Sunday, saying that it was a "terrific performance" by the defending champions at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

    Terrific Performance By India: Sachin Tendulkar

    Nitish Returns As Bihar CM, To Meet Modi Over Development

    Nitish Returns As Bihar CM, To Meet Modi Over Development
    Nitish Kumar Sunday returned as Bihar chief minister, nine months after he resigned following his party JD-U's massive defeat in the 2014 general elections. Party leaders said he will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek more funds to speed up development work in the state.

    Nitish Returns As Bihar CM, To Meet Modi Over Development

    Ahead Of Budget Session, Government Reaches Out To Opposition

    Ahead Of Budget Session, Government Reaches Out To Opposition
    A day ahead of the session, Modi, at an all-party meeting, assured leaders that issues raised would be discussed according to their importance.

    Ahead Of Budget Session, Government Reaches Out To Opposition

    Mufti Mohammad Sayeed To Be Jammu And Kashmir CM As PDP, BJP Reach Agreement

    Mufti Mohammad Sayeed To Be Jammu And Kashmir CM As PDP, BJP Reach Agreement
    PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed will be the new chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir two months after the assembly elections, as his party and the BJP finally arrived at an agreement on forming an alliance government in the state.

    Mufti Mohammad Sayeed To Be Jammu And Kashmir CM As PDP, BJP Reach Agreement

    '660 Million Indians Losing Three Years Of Life Due To Air Pollution'

    '660 Million Indians Losing Three Years Of Life Due To Air Pollution'
      If India can refine its goals to meet air standards, 660 million people would add about 3.2 years into their lives, a significant research has found, adding that compliance with Indian air quality standards would save 2.1 billion life-years.

    '660 Million Indians Losing Three Years Of Life Due To Air Pollution'