Agra: At a time when people are fighting with each other in the name of religion, Puja Kushwaha, teaches Quran to Muslim kids in the communally sensitive Agra district.
Despite being a Hindu, Puja teaches Quran to 35 Muslims children coming from poor economic background and holds free classed at the temple courtyard.
Speaking to the Times of India, 18-year-old Puja revealed that she learned to read Arabic from Sangeeta Begum.
“Many years ago, there was another woman of mixed faith in our locality. Born to a Muslim father and Hindu mother, Sangeeta Begum used to teach the Holy Quran to kids. I got interested in the holy book and started attending her classes. I made steady progress and was ahead of all others in her class soon,” said Kushwaha.
“Sangeeta taught me an important tenant of Islam that there is no point gaining knowledge if you don’t share it,” says Puja.
“I am very pleased to have her as my kid’s teacher. Her religion is the last thing on my mind or any other parents’ that I know.” says Reshma Begum, mother of one of Puja’s student, a class 12 student.
Puja has set a rare example of how humankind can live with peace and harmony.