Guru Purnima

Guru Purnima (Sanskrit: गुरुपूर्णिमा, romanized: Gurupūrṇimā) is a religious festival dedicated to offering respect to all the spiritual and academic gurus.

It is observed on the full moon day (Purnima) in the month of Ashadha (June–July) according to the Hindu Calendar.

[12] This day is also seen as an occasion when fellow devotees, Guru Bhai (disciple-brother), express their solidarity to one another in their spiritual journey.

[16] Vyasa Puja is held at various temples, where floral offerings and symbolic gifts are given away in his honour.

[17] Hindu ascetics and wandering sanyasis observe this day by offering puja to their guru, during Chaturmasya, a four-month period during the rainy season, when they choose seclusion and stay at one chosen place; some also give discourses to the local public.

The festival is celebrated by Buddhists in honour of the Buddha, who gave his first sermon on this day at Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh, India.

In the yogic tradition, the day is celebrated as the occasion when Shiva became the first guru, as he began the transmission of Yoga to the Saptarishis.

Rainy season vassa also starts on this day, lasting for three lunar months, from July to October.

During Vassa, many Buddhist lay people reinvigorate their spiritual training and adopt more ascetic practices, such as giving up meat, alcohol, or smoking.

Students honour their teachers by offering delicacies, garlands, and special hats called topi made with indigenous fabric.

[24] The bhikshu sangha soon grew to 60 members; then, Buddha sent them out in all directions to travel alone and teach Dharma.

On this day, Mahavira, after attaining kaivalya, made Gautama Swami his first disciple (ganadhara) thus becoming a Guru himself.