Towards the end of the month, a festival called Guru Puurnimaa (गुरु पूर्णिमा) is celebrated in parts of India. This is a day where students offer puja (पूजा) or worship to their teacher or guru (गुरु). A puja (पूजा) is a religious ceremony performed by Hindus. It’s thought that by performing this ceremony, the student will receive a blessing or word of encouragement from the teacher. It’s India’s version of Teacher Appreciation Day.

A puja (पूजा) can be very elaborate to very simple. Some Hindus designate a special place in their home to perform a puja (पूजा). This part of the home will usually contain an image/photo of the teacher. For famous teachers with lots of followers, the puja (पूजा) may be held at a temple.

Guru Puurnimaa (गुरु पूर्णिमा) is the day of Vyaasa’s (व्यास) birth. Vyaasa (व्यास) is accredited as the one who wrote the Mahaabhaarata (महाभारत). The Mahaabhaarata (महाभारत) is a text that has a combination of Hindu mythology, history and religious teachings. Followers of this text perform a routine where they get up at four in the morning and meditate.

At noon, the followers feed their teachers and wash the feet of their teachers out of respect. This is also a day where followers can be inducted into the sannyasa (संन्यास) organization, which is basically a group of hermit monks. It’s also a day where followers determine the turning point of their lives, which is to lead a life wholly devoted to spiritual resolutions.