Guru Purnima 2021: Check puja tithi timings and significance of Vyasa Purnima

Guru Purnima will be observed tomorrow, 24 July across the country. As the name suggests, the day is celebrated to worship and pay respect to one’s guru, teacher or parents. It’s also a day to thank Gurus or spiritual guides and leaders for always enlightening their disciples with knowledge and wisdom. This celebration is marked by Buddhists, Hindus, and Jains every year all across the world. Meanwhile, Buddhists celebrate this festival by honouring Gautama Buddha and his teachings that have inspired the world to date. According to the Hindu calendar and beliefs, this auspicious festival falls on the full moon day of the Ashadha month, which begins from June to July. The day is also celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of Maharishi Ved Vyasa. He was the author of the great Indian epic book, Mahabharata; that is why this day is also known as Vyasa Purnima. Puja tithi timings: This year, the Guru Purnima tithi will begin at 10:43 am on 23 July (Friday) and end at 8:06 am on 24 July (Saturday). How is this festival celebrated? People, who observe this festival, celebrate this day by paying tribute to teachers and gods. Many disciples keep a fast on this special day to express their gratitude to gurus and guides. Some also offer fruits, sweets, and dry fruits to their teachers. Significance of Guru Purnima: The word ‘Gu’ in Guru stands for darkness, and ‘Ru’ signifies the removal of darkness. Therefore, it means that a guru is someone who removes all the darkness from our lives and guides us towards enlightenment. Guru Purnima holds deep meaning and value of being grateful to teachers, parents, gods, and guides who show the right path in life. This festival is also celebrated in Nepal. They observe this day as Teacher’s Day. Among the other major reasons to celebrate this day, the special festival is known to have been revived by Mahatma Gandhi to pay tribute to his guru Shrimad Rajchandra. He was a Jain poet, mystic, and philosopher, who guided the father of the nation through many phases of life.