Guru Purnima 2024: Mumbaikars Honor Gurus, Express Gratitude For Knowledge And Happiness

Mumbai: Mumbaikars are paying obeisance to their gurus in the Indian tradition of Guru Purnima that is being celebrated today. Guru Purnima is the birthday of Maharishi Veda Vyasa, the author of the Mahabharata. It is celebrated on the full moon day of the month of Ashadh, therefore the word Purnima. People honour their spiritual gurus and guides on the day by thanking them and taking part in charitable activities.

Followers of Sathya Sai Baba of Puttaparthi will do special Narayana Seva or feeding the poor, at all their centres. The Walkeshwar chapter of the Sri Sathya Sai Baba organisation will be feeding lunch to over 750 workers constructing the Mumbai Coastal Road. "Our guru said 'feeding the poor is feeding God as God resides in them'. Hence the word 'Daridra Narayan'. He said that the best seva is feeding the poor," said Ramesh Menon, who is a member of the Walkeshwar chapter.

At Dharmakshetra, the Mumbai headquarters of the Sri Sathya Sai Trust at Andheri, there will be day-long bhajans, aarti, and other programnes. Followers of Gurudevshri Rakeshbhai, founder of the Shrimad Rajchandra Mission, are joining him for a two-day 'Guru Purnima Shibir' at Dharampur, Gujarat. The celebrations began on Saturday morning and will continue till the evening on Sunday, with discourses, Bindu Sindhu' meditation, and a drama 'Piche Laag Satpurush ke, toh sab bandhan tod'.

Rajeshji is proponent of the teachings of Shrimad Rajchandraji, a late 19th century poet-philosopher and Jain religious reformer who is considered the spiritual guru of Mahatma Gandhi. For Mumbai residents who cannot attend the functions, the events are being stressed live.

The followers of Bhakti Yoga preacher, Neem Karoli Baba, called Maharaj-ji by his followers are meeting on Sunday at Malad for havan or homas or fire rituals, Sundarkand Path - the fifth book in Ramayana, and food distribution, said Chanchal Malik, a disciple of the 20th century guru who has followers in the West like Julia Roberts and Mark Zuckerberg.

Guru Purnima is one of the most important annual events for yoga practitioners. Thousands of devotees across all The Art of Living centers in Mumbai will celebrate Guru Purnima, with homas or fire rituals, service activities, chanting, satsang, meditation and Guru Puja, a ceremony where the blessings are invoked and gratitude expressed to the lineage of masters.

Sri Medha Dakshinamurthy Homa has also been organised by The Art of Living in Thane. A special full moon meditation will be conducted in Shastrinagar in Malad (West). Spiritual leader, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will speak to followers through a live webcast from Boone in North Carolina, United States.

“Today, on Guru Purnima, we dedicate ourselves to honouring the presence of the Guru in our lives,” said Krishnakumar, Art of Living teacher. “Gurudev has changed the lives of millions and inspired each of us to serve and bring smiles to the faces of every human being, and on this day, we honour this precious gift of knowledge and happiness that he has brought into our lives.”