Devotees gather to take holy dip at Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar on Guru Purnima

Haridwar (Uttarakhand) [India], July 10 (ANI): A large number of devotees gathered to take a holy dip in the Ganga River at Har Ki Pauri on the occasion of Guru Purnima on Thursday.
Rahul, who reached Haridwar to take the holy dip, said to ANI, "I am very excited, and the environment is also very good. I am here to take the holy dip in the Ganga and will start my Kanwar Yatra as well.... I asked the Ganga to give me success in my academic journey."
Suman, who reached Haridwar from Delhi, said, "Today is a very auspicious day and the arrangements here are very good...I only asked God to take care of us."
Satish Kumar, another devotee from Delhi, there to take a holy dip, said, "I will start my Kanwar Yatra tomorrow and it will be my 26th Kanwar Yatra. I am very excited and really happy."
Earlier, people gathered on the eve of Guru Purnima to offer prayers at Chhatarpur's Shri Aadya Katyayani Shaktipith Mandir today, and sacred Bhasma Aarti was also performed at the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple in Ujjain in the early morning on Thursday, on the occasion of Guru Purnima.
Devotees gathered in large numbers to witness the early morning ritual, which is considered very divine. The temple resonated with chants and spiritual fervor, marking the worship of Lord Shiva and spiritual gurus.
Today also marks the end of the month of Ashadh and the beginning of the month of Sawan. From today, the Kanwar Yatra will also begin.
After taking a holy dip, devotees visit the temple. Those who have taken initiation from their Guru and received the Guru Mantra will go to their Guru and worship them today.
"Guru Govind dono khade kaake lagu paay balihari Guru aapne Govind diyo bataye," a line composed by Kabir Das centuries ago, highlights the glory of the Guru, which remains relevant today.
A Guru is considered an essential guide for one's success in life. The Guru holds the highest importance in the religious city of Varanasi. Thousands of people visit their respected Gurus on this day, presenting gifts to them as per their abilities.
The belief is that respecting Gurus on Guru Purnima brings positive changes in life. There is also a tradition of receiving the Guru Mantra on this day in Varanasi.
On the day of Ashadha Purnima, bathing and giving donations are considered very auspicious.
Guru Purnima is also known as Ashadhi Purnima and Vyas Purnima because Maharishi Ved Vyas was born on this day.
The Guru holds special importance in worldly life, which is why, in Indian culture, a guru is considered more important than God. This festival is celebrated not only by Hindus but also by Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs. In Buddhism, Lord Buddha gave his first Dharma Chakra Pravartan on this day. (ANI)