Hindus attach a lot of importance to gurus because of which many times a guru is considered to be receptacle of God. Guru is the person who removes the darkness of spiritual unawareness and academic ignorance from the minds of his/her disciples. In order to truly establish the significance of gurus in the Hindu tradition, the festival ‘Guru Purnima’ is celebrated by the Hindus as well as the Buddhists on the day of Purnima (full moon) in the months of June-July (Ashadh). If you have no clue about Guru Purnima celebration then this article will surely help you.
Celebrations related to Guru Purnima have evolved tremendously as the years have passed by because the tradition of Guru-Shishya has changed as well and the world altogether has become different. In the past, the learners used to offer prayers to their gurus. These prayers used to symbolize the nobleness and greatness of the gurus. This practice of offering prayers continues even today but it has undergone some changes. Nowadays, any person who teaches something to another person is regarded as a guru. Thus the traditional meaning of a guru has also been transformed.
Special performances and diverse cultural programs are usually conducted by the different organizations. Disciples gift flowers and sweets to their gurus during the day of Guru Purnima. In addition to that, many devotees start learning the spiritual instructions from their respective gurus. A ‘puja’ is conducted by the disciples of Sage Vyasa. Spiritual seekers start the process of strengthening their sadhana because after Guru Purnima, Chaturmas begins immediately.
Some devotees fast on the day of Guru Purnima in order to honor their gurus. In schools, colleges and so on special programs are organized in which students participate to show how much they respect their teachers. In Ashrams, disciples offer services and prayers to their gurus.