Mumbai: Breaking the religious barriers, twelve-year-old Muslim girl Maryam Asif Siddiqui has won a competition on understanding the Bhagwad Gita. More than 4,500 participants from 195 schools in Mumbai took part in the competition organised by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

In the competition, the participants were tested on their knowledge and understanding of the Bhagwad Gita. Maryam, who studies in the 6th standard has already read the Bible and is attending lectures on the Quran.

"My teacher told me that there is a Gita competition. You can take part. I asked my parents and they said that whatever religion is there, you can take part in it," Maryam said.

"I really like Gita. There were stories on how Krishna told Arjun how to live, speak to everyone, how to respect everybody. I liked all these things," she said as she recalled the teachings.

"It is a matter of joy that a Muslim girl has won the first prize. Whether it is Gita or Quran, these are religious scriptures. Religion unites and not divides," Muslim cleric Maulana Umer Ahmed Ilyasi said.