Literally, it translates to be the day of the guru when there is a full moon (this year, Friday the 15th of July). Part of the Hindu and Buddhist calendar, this is a restricted holiday by the government, which is to say that you can take it off of work if you’d like to. Of course, you are only allowed to take off so many of these days a year.
We went to the Guru Purnima festivities, which were held at the occult temple, which we had visited once before. Some traditions at the ceremonies include:
- Having cooks make food all night for everyone who stays at the temple
- Bathing in a special pool, and then throwing away the clothes that you wore (which are then given to the rural poor).
- Going up to the highest point of the temple (that is only open twice a year)
Why the occult temple?
The occult temple has a guru of its own, and is not affiliated with a specific god, so it makes sense that people would come there to see the guru of the city (who lives there) or to celebrate their guru in general. People will also make pilgrimages to see their guru or the house of their guru on this day.
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