Chithragiri (Keralam):Transcending religious boundaries, two Muslim siblings have performed the last rites of an 85-year-old Hindu woman they had cared for and loved as their mother for nearly five decades in this hill district of Keralam. Razak and Sulaiman stepped forward to perform the funeral rituals in accordance with Hindu customs when Kalyani Amma, who had no children or other relatives, passed away at Chithragiri in Muppainad panchayat, family sources said on Tuesday.

The two siblings and their family had shared a close bond with Kalyani Amma, who had been their neighbour for nearly 50 years. They looked after her, taking care of her daily needs, arranging medicines and accompanying her to hospitals whenever necessary. She was also part of their family celebrations, and the affection between them grew over the years.

Kalyani Amma had expressed her wish that Razak and Sulaiman, whom she considered her own sons, should perform her last rites after her death, they said.