Guru Purnima is the full moon of Ashadh. Maharashtra is a land of gurus and their seats: Sai Baba at Shirdi, Swami Samarth at Akkalkot, Gajanan Maharaj at Shegaon, the Datta shrines at Narsobawadi and Audumbar. All of them are crowded on this day, schoolchildren bring flowers for their teachers, and students of classical music and dance honour theirs.
The story
The day is Vyas's, and Marathi adds its own first teacher. Dnyaneshwar, who at sixteen put the Gita into Marathi verse, opens his Dnyaneshwari by bowing to his elder brother and guru Nivruttinath before anything else.
At Shirdi the festival is one of the three Sai Baba himself began, and the only one he asked his followers to keep as a day of worshipping the guru.
ॐ नमोजी आद्या । वेद प्रतिपाद्या । जय जय स्वसंवेद्या । आत्मरूपा ॥
Om! Salutations to the First One, whom the Vedas set forth. Victory, victory to you who are known only to yourself, whose form is the Self
The opening verse of the Dnyaneshwari
How it is kept
- Guru pujanThe guru or his padukas are worshipped with flowers, sandal and a gift.
- PalkhiAt Shirdi and Akkalkot the palanquin is taken out through the town.
- ParayanReadings of the Guru Charitra, the Sai Satcharita or the Dnyaneshwari are completed.
- In schoolsChildren offer a flower and touch their teachers' feet.
Why this date
Guru Purnima is the full-moon tithi of Ashadh, on the day it is present at sunrise.
Guru Purnima in other years
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Wednesday | |
| 2027 | Sunday | |
| 2028 | Thursday | |
| 2029 | Wednesday | |
| 2030 | Monday | |
| 2031 | Friday |
More Marathi festivals
14 JulyAshadhi Ekadashiआषाढी एकादशी
17 AugustNarali Purnima and Raksha Bandhanनारळी पौर्णिमा · रक्षाबंधन
24 AugustGokulashtami and Dahi Handiगोकुळाष्टमी · दहीहंडी
8 MayAkshaya Tritiyaअक्षय्य तृतीया
20 AprilHanuman Jayantiहनुमान जयंती
3 SeptemberGanesh Chaturthiगणेश चतुर्थी
Where to see Guru Purnima
In Maharashtra
- ShirdiMaharashtraThree days of festival; the samadhi temple stays open through the night.
- AkkalkotMaharashtraThe seat of Swami Samarth, revered as an incarnation of Datta.
- ShegaonMaharashtraThe temple town of Gajanan Maharaj in Vidarbha.
- NarsobawadiMaharashtraA Datta shrine where the Krishna and Panchganga meet.
Across India
- GanagapuraKarnatakaThe chief pilgrimage of the Datta tradition, just across the border.
- SarnathUttar PradeshWhere the Buddha first taught, on this full moon.
- SringeriKarnatakaVyas Puja at the Sharada Peetham.