Ariful Islam/Guwahati

Alia Nasrin Rahman who hails from a Muslim family of Nalbari in western Assam, has mastered Sanskrit, an ancient language in which Hindu scriptures are written and is often perceived as a language of Sanatan Dharma.

Alia Nasrin has mastered the language of the gods at the age of 10. She has demonstrated a rare talent by flawlessly reciting verses from the Bhagwat Gita.

Alia Nasrin, a resident of Santipur in Nalbari, can also recite the kalma and suras in Arabic with equal fluency.

Alia Nasrin is the eldest daughter of Mukibur Rahman and Papori Begum. She is also a gifted child who has been drawing applause for her skill in Satriya dance (Neo-Vasinavite dance form), Kathak, singing and painting.

Alia Nasrin with parents and sister

Mukibur Rahman, father of the fifth standard child of Vivekananda Kendriya Vidyalaya in Nalbari, told Awaz-The Voice,’ "The reason I am educating my daughter in Gita's verses is that we should all be inclusive and we should know about others’ religions. We should not be averse to learning and reading anything. So I let her practice the Gita verses taught at school, at home and also teach her myself. It’s not that I am teaching her only Gita's verses. As a Muslim child, I am also educating her in the Holy Quran and Hadith. We send her to attend the Arabic lessons at the mosque and she offers namaz with me even though she is not old enough to offer namaz."

"Alia has been learning kalma, namaz, fasting and purity from the cleric of our mosque. Later on, I am planning to teach her about all religions. She is also very interested in dance. She performs in school functions and her dance training is special. She does not have any formal training in dance, but this year I have enrolled her in an art school where she will learn dance. Alia has also participated in various competitions held in our area,” Mukibur Rahman added.

Alia at her home

Alia's Gita verses have impressed many Hindus. The Muslim community also appreciates Alia's talent. "I like it when people praise the girl. There are a few ignorant people in the Muslim community who criticise her. We ignore their views. We should study everything and remove any kind of ignorance. Besides, we should all live in harmony,” her father said.

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Alia has so far won awards in various competitions. Her most recent award is the Shilpi Sadhana Award from Kazipara Club, Bihanpur, Nalbari district. Alia's father Mukibur Rahman and mother Papori Begum deserve the appreciation for her achievements at such a young age. Alia's parents have been teaching her about own language, culture, religion and harmony alongside her studies to become a real person in the future.