A guru is a key figure in Indian self-development. In Sanskrit, “Gu” means darkness or ignorance. “Ru” is the remover of this darkness. Most Indians believe a guru is necessary for learning. What you can learn from books is limited. Where as, a guru, with the depth of his knowledge and affection for the student, ensures real learning.
On Guru Purnima, a full moon night in early July, we honour and celebrate the gurus. The Buddhists celebrate this as the day, when Buddha gave his first sermon at the deer park in Sarnath, after his enlightenment under the Bodhi tree. Hindus celebrate it to honour Vyasa who wrote the Brahma Sutras and was called Veda Vyasa.
Indians believe that a guru is critical for spiritual learning, because this includes so much experiential and initiative knowledge. The teacher is revered as God in Indian culture. On this day, shishyas worship their guru by offering puja and guru dakshina with fruits and flowers. The guru blesses them with the affection of a parent.
Different countries and cultures have this tradition of honouring the guru. Interestingly on the 4th Sunday of July every year, the Americans celebrate Parents Day and there is no doubt that for children, parents are the first gurus. This day was established in the United States Congress for “recognising, uplifting and supporting the role of parents in the rearing of children.”