Guru Purnima celebration at Flushing Swaminarayan Temple

Chaitanya Murti Swami of Akshardham, NJ, speaking at Guru Purnima celebration at the Flushing Swaminarayan Temple, NY. PHOTOS : Provided by External Affairs Administrator Dr. Vipul Patel.

Hindus around the world celebrated Guru Purnima on Friday, July 11, 2025 on the full moon which also marked the last day of the month of Ashadh.

The festival is devoted to honoring the Guru or the teacher or the mentor. The Guru plays an important role in the Hindu Dvaita or dualistic philosophy which considers the soul as separate from Godhead, but can become one with the Godhead with the help of a spiritual guru.

Hindus also worship Lord Vishnu that day by keeping a vrat and engaging in spiritual and charitable acts.

The festival is celebrated in temples in various ways including honoring a spiritual guru, organizing talks, offering prayers and singing bhajans. It is also celebrated by thanking teachers and mentors. The day is also celebrated by the Buddhists as the day Buddha delivered his first sermon at Gaya in Sarnath.

Guru Purnima, also known as Vyas Purnima, is also celebrated in temples in the U.S. The Swaminarayan Temple in Flushing, NY, celebrated it on Sunday, July 13, 2025, as it does every year, with an evening full of programs.

The highlight of this year’s program was a talk by Chaitanya Murti Swami from Akshardham in Robbinsville, NJ. In his pravachan, he spoke about the role of the guru as a guiding light. Explaining the reason for the day to also be named Vyas Purnima, Chaitanya Murti Swami informed the audience how Ved Vyas, who dictated the Mahabharata to Ganesha, was an eternal guru.

Other swamis spoke about their late guru Pramukh Swami and the current guru Mahant Swami and their experiences of receiving guidance from them. The evening’s program also included video presentations, skits and devotional songs.

In a special ceremony, the Temple also honored and recognized the achievements of graduating youth members.

A small replica of a swing is placed in front of the images of Krishna and Radha at the Flushing Swaminarayan Temple, NY.

Also on Sunday, the Flushing Swaminarayan Temple began their month long celebration of Hindola. This year, however, hindola at the temple will be celebrated with a small replica of the swing and not with the usual life-size swing.

A devotee pulling the Hindola chain to swing images of Krishna and Radha at the Flushing Swaminarayan Temple, NY.

Hindola is a festival for Vaishnavas including the Pushtimargis, celebrating Krishna and Radha. Images of both are placed on a swing and scenes of their life in Vrindavan are recreated around the swing. Devotees can pull the small chain, usually made of flowers, and swing Krishna and Radha.