Guru Purnima is the full moon of Ashadha. For Assam, "the Guru" means one man: Srimanta Sankardev, the saint, poet, playwright and reformer who gave the Assamese their faith, their theatre and much of their literature. The day is kept in the namghars and satras with naam-prasanga, and in schools with the honouring of teachers.
The story
Sankardev, born at Bordowa in 1449, taught Ekasarana, refuge in the one God, Krishna, reached by singing his name. He set no image in the prayer hall: on the Guru Asana, the seven-tiered throne, lies a book.
He wrote the Kirtan Ghosa, composed songs called borgeet, invented a drama form, the Ankiya Nat, and built the first namghar, a hall where all castes sit together. His disciple Madhavdev carried the work on.
এক দেৱ, এক সেৱ, এক বিনে নাই কেৱ
One God, one devotion; besides the One there is none
The teaching of Srimanta Sankardev
How it is kept
- Naam-prasangaCongregational singing with cymbals and the khol drum.
- Guru vandanaStudents honour their teachers.
- BorgeetThe devotional songs of Sankardev and Madhavdev.
- ReadingFrom the Kirtan Ghosa and the Naam Ghosa.
Why this date
Guru Purnima is the full-moon tithi of Ashadha, 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 Assamese festivals
14 JulyShayan Ekadashiশয়ন একাদশী
17 AugustRakhi Bandhanৰাখী বন্ধন
24 AugustJanmashtamiজন্মাষ্টমী
8 MayAkshaya Tritiyaঅক্ষয় তৃতীয়া
20 AprilHanuman Jayantiহনুমান জয়ন্তী
4 SeptemberGanesh Chaturthiগণেশ চতুৰ্থী
Where to see Guru Purnima
In Assam
- Batadrava Than, BordowaAssamThe birthplace of Sankardev and site of the first namghar.
- Barpeta SatraAssamFounded by Madhavdev, with the largest prayer hall in Assam.
- Kamalabari Satra, MajuliAssamA centre of the satriya arts of dance, music and drama.
Across India
- SarnathUttar PradeshWhere the Buddha first taught on this full moon.
- Cooch BeharWest BengalMadhupur Satra, where Sankardev spent his last years and died.
- Belur MathWest BengalThe headquarters of the Ramakrishna order.