Festival companion · Sunday 18 July 2027

Guru Purnima

Thanking our teachers. Everything for one festival in one place: the story to tell, the puja, a recipe, a craft for children and a shopping list.

Tell the story

The Story of Guru Purnima

Veda Vyasa was born on an island in the Yamuna, the son of the sage Parashara. He saw that the Vedas were vast and people were finding them hard to learn, so he divided them into four, so that each could be studied and remembered.

He also gave us the Mahabharata, with the Bhagavad Gita inside it, and the Puranas, the old stories of India. His students carried this knowledge to every corner of the land.

Guru Purnima is his birthday, and on this day we thank all our teachers: the ones in school, the ones who teach music, dance or yoga, and the first teachers of all, our parents.

How families celebrate

Guru Purnima, on the full moon of Ashadha, honours Veda Vyasa and every teacher who guides us. Students visit their teachers, touch their feet, and offer flowers, fruit or a small gift. It is a lovely day for children to thank a music, dance or school teacher.

Vyasa puja, visiting or calling your teachers, a thank-you card from the children, and starting a new study.

At home

The Puja

A home puja anyone can follow, step by step, with the words to say.

Before you begin

  1. Prepare

    Bathe, wear clean clothes and clean the puja place. Set out a lamp, incense, flowers, kumkum, turmeric, rice, water in a small vessel with a spoon, a bell and the naivedya (food offering).

  2. Light the lamp

    Light the lamp with ghee or oil and fold your hands.

    SayShubham karoti kalyanam arogyam dhana sampadah, shatru buddhi vinashaya deepa jyotir namostute

  3. Pray to Ganesha first

    Every puja begins with Ganesha, so the rest goes without obstacles. Offer a flower or a little rice.

    SayVakratunda mahakaya suryakoti samaprabha, nirvighnam kuru me deva sarva karyeshu sarvada

  4. Achamana and sankalpa

    Sip a spoon of water three times. Then hold a little water, rice and a flower and say, in your own language, who you are, where you are, and why you are doing this puja today. Let it fall in a plate.

    SayOm Keshavaya namah · Om Narayanaya namah · Om Madhavaya namah

Step by step

  1. Set up

    Place a picture of Vyasa, Dakshinamurthy or your own guru, with flowers.

  2. Guru vandana

    Offer flowers and fruit while chanting.

    SayGurur Brahma Gurur Vishnu Gurur Devo Maheshwarah, Guru sakshat Param Brahma tasmai Shri Gurave namah

  3. Vyasa puja

    Read a verse of the Bhagavad Gita or a page from a scripture.

    SayOm Vyasaya namah

  4. Thank your teachers

    Children visit or call their teachers, give a card and a flower, and touch their feet if that is your custom.

  5. Begin a study

    Start learning something new, a shloka, a raga or a chapter.

Closing

  1. Naivedya

    Place the food before the deity, sprinkle a little water around it and offer it with your hands open.

    SayOm pranaya svaha · Om apanaya svaha · Om vyanaya svaha · Om udanaya svaha · Om samanaya svaha

  2. Aarti

    Wave the camphor or ghee lamp clockwise in front of the deity, ringing the bell, while the family sings an aarti or bhajan.

  3. Pradakshina and namaskara

    Turn around once clockwise where you stand, then bow or prostrate. Ask forgiveness for anything done wrongly.

    SayYani kani cha papani janmantara kritani cha, tani tani vinashyanti pradakshina pade pade

  4. Share the prasada

    Share the naivedya with everyone at home and with neighbours.

The 16 offerings

Most home pujas follow the sixteen offerings, the shodashopachara. When you have little time, offer flowers, a lamp and food with love; that is enough.

  1. DhyanaThink of the deity
  2. AvahanaInvite the deity
  3. AsanaOffer a seat (a flower or rice)
  4. PadyaWater to wash the feet
  5. ArghyaWater to wash the hands
  6. AchamaniyaWater to sip
  7. SnanaA bath (sprinkle water, or abhisheka)
  8. VastraClothes (a cloth or cotton thread)
  9. Yajnopavita / AbharanaSacred thread or ornaments
  10. GandhaSandal paste, turmeric and kumkum
  11. PushpaFlowers and leaves
  12. DhupaIncense
  13. DeepaA lamp
  14. NaivedyaFood
  15. TambulaBetel leaf and nut, or fruit
  16. Nirajana and namaskaraAarti, flowers and bowing

Print

A printable version of this puja is on its way. Until then, use the Print button.

This is a simple home puja. Every family and region has its own customs, so follow your elders or priest where they differ.

Cook together

Paal Payasam (Rice Kheer)

More recipes →
All India · Guru Purnima, birthdays

Paal Payasam (Rice Kheer)

Rice and milk pudding: paal payasam in Tamil and Malayalam, kheer in Hindi, akki payasa in Kannada

  • 50 min
  • Serves 4
Ingredients and method

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup short-grain rice, washed
  • 1 litre full-fat milk
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ tsp cardamom powder
  • 1 tbsp ghee, cashews and raisins

Method

  1. Boil the milk in a heavy pan, add the rice and simmer on low heat, stirring often, for 35 to 40 minutes.
  2. When the rice is very soft and the milk is thick and creamy, add the sugar and cook 5 more minutes.
  3. Add cardamom.
  4. Fry the cashews and raisins in ghee and pour over.

Use a heavy pan and stir often so it does not stick.

For children

Make a thank-you card for a teacher

You need

  • Card
  • Pressed flowers or leaves
  • Glue and pens

Steps

  1. Fold the card in half.
  2. Glue pressed flowers on the front.
  3. Inside, write one thing your teacher taught you and why it matters.
  4. Give it with a flower and a namaskara.

Get ready

Shopping List

Tick things off as you go, or print the list for the Indian store.

Shopping list

Festival companion by email

Get the next one a week early

We send each festival companion a week before the festival, so you have time to shop and plan.

Send me the companions

Join us

Looking for something, or want to help?

Ask for a festival, ceremony or recipe from your region, volunteer from your city, get featured, teach or sell your craft. It all starts on one page.

Go to Join us