Skip to main content

Looking for 'real' Guru more meaningful than mainstream celebration of Guru Purnima

LIT Nagpur
By Santosh Gedam*
Mainstream society presents its notion of Guru Purnima. This notion becomes visible across several media platforms, private or public alike. A typical celebration of Guru Purnima is demonstrated by mythical ideas surrounded by an abstract message which makes no sense apart from representing certain ideologies and way of thinking and living. 
I find this imposed notion of Guru Purnima unwanted in a society whose pluralism allows the unique experience to each one of us may be distinct from each other. In India, it is not difficult to make sense of the invisible ideas which segment our communities right up to the family level. It is in this belief of representation of dominant but a minuscule population as a representation of the majority, we ought to think inwards.
I could not agree more with the need to have a Guru in one’s life without which life will be directness and not much could be achieved in a meaningful way. When I look back in my trajectory of higher education in Laxminarayan Institute of Technology (LIT) in Nagpur, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) Mumbai, and recent IIM Ahmedabad, a few examples illuminate brightly, which have influenced my choices in life.
But before that, let me deconstruct the notion of parents being our fundamental Gurus. Though this notion is quite divine to be even touched, undoubtedly, some examples present the relationship of parents with children in the unsavory light-a deviation from typical portrayal.
I could claim that for people like me, a parent was not more than a food supplier. The supply of every small thing in life apart from basic food was a luxury. He was no guide and took no interest in what I am today. Again he is not at fault for he has his share of struggle in his childhood.
Fortunate are those whose parents are Gurus of their children in the most genuine spirit by being a guiding light in the children’s lives. I may claim that on this front, I was unfortunate. Looking back, I cannot see anyone as my Guru apart from my mother till the year of my 11th Standard.
The first instance of a teacher actively sharing favors to a student, I experienced when I was in the 11th Standard. Without resources to join any private classes for science subjects, I was clueless about how I could study them. It was a shared understanding and norm that a science student has to join some private class to get good marks in 12th.
College teachers outsource their responsibilities with the hope that everyone has joined private coaching outside. I was with added disadvantage on this front due to a lack of guidance from my illiterate parents. A BSc. student from our acquittance was working for one teacher who was private coaching in Nagpur.
Somehow, I could share my plight to him. Being poor himself, he was empathetic towards my misery. He agreed to take me to his employer so that I can share my case with him. I went to that teacher and said that I want to join his private classes. To which he said yes, you could join. But then I expressed my inability to pay tuition fees. He said I should give more than 90% result in Physics, and, on this condition alone, I can join his class for free. I agreed readily.
This offer is a life-changing experience for me. With his support coming from nowhere, I joined his evening classes and ensured to sit close at hand, where he would stand to deliver lectures. I was one of his favorites and often spelled out concepts that he was about to spell, which would result in getting warm pats on my back. His demeanors taught me humility.
He was the first Guru to whom I must be immensely grateful -- his vision let me dream. I passed 12th and kept my promise of getting more than 90% marks. I joined engineering in one of the prestigious colleges. On this Guru Purnima, I remember this physics teacher who influenced my life.
The second Guru who influenced my life was in my engineering college. Those were days without mobiles. One fine day my classmate and I went to the college and entered the class, but we found the class was empty. We realized there must be a common bunk, so we immediately decided to leave the class for fear of getting caught and spoiling the bunk.
But our fear came true. As we were making attempts to leave, our teacher entered the class and asked us to sit inside the class. He seemed in no mood to teach regular heat transfer problems. We were surprised by his inquiries. He asked us our complete names, which we readily shared. Then he shared one of the valuable messages I received yet. 
I reject mainstream portrayal of idea of Guru since it is not only senseless but also a tool for establishing some form of supremacy
He told us that these mass bunks are not for us. He advised us not to lose academic learning because of mass bunk as we cannot afford to do that. He said many students who are well off and have their family members and acquaintances were located. He shared that these students can afford to bunk classes because it will hardly matter to their progress, but for us pursuing academic sessions is the only route.
Though these thoughts appear quite common, for me, it was unique. We come from that space where these talks and advice are uncommon. I held his teaching close to my heart since then thanked him for sharing a valuable lesson with us.
He is my second Guru, who has influenced my academic engagement since then. The incident also lit hope that genuine and well-intentioned suggestions can come from unexpected sources. I graduated in chemical engineering and joined a large oil and gad company.
My third lesson is a reminder of the grave discrimination that is widespread across our society, including higher education institutions. The incident is from my viva for one of the subjects of second-year engineering. I expected that the teacher would ask the subject related questions during the viva, but to my surprise, he asked me my personal details and maths score during the 12th.
He believed that the score in Math and other science subject is a reasonable indicator for predicting some of the social signs of a candidate. I did not know how he interpreted and used this information to assess my subject knowledge and give marks. But, the incident more than anything made me feel uncomfortable because of the possible thought of a discriminatory mindset.
This Guru, I will have to keep separate from the other two Gurus who actively supported me during my critical time. When I look back today, I remind of my 12th physics and heat transfer subjects teachers who unknowingly played a crucial role. Without their help and suggestions, I would not be what I am today.
On this Guru Purnima, it makes more sense for me to think and thank them rather than a mythical image of Gurus from the old era. I reject the mainstream portrayal of the idea and image of Guru since it is not only imaginary and senseless to me but also a tool for establishing some form of supremacy.
The ideas of my first two teachers have cautioned me, and now I know what to reject summarily. Respect and thanks to those teachers!
---
Ex-Prime Minister's Rural Development (PMRD) fellow and research student at IIM Ahmedabad

Comments

TRENDING

'Enough evidence' in Indian tradition to support legal basis for same-sex marriage

By Iyce Malhotra, Joseph Mathai, Sandeep Chachra*  The ongoing hearing in the Supreme Court on same-sex marriage provides space for much-needed conversations on issues that have hitherto remained “invisible” or engaged with patriarchal locker room humour. We must recognize that people with diverse sexualities and complex gender identities have faced discrimination, stigma and decades of oppression. Their issues have mainly remained buried in dominant social discourse, and many view them with deep insecurities.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Our Representative Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Victim of communal violence, Christians in Manipur want Church leadership to speak up

By Fr Cedric Prakash SJ*  The first eleven days of May 2023 have, in many ways, been a defining period of Indian history! Plenty has happened in a rapid-fire stream of events. Ironically, each one of them are indicators of how crimes and the criminalisation of society has become the ‘new norm’; these include, the May Day rallies with a focus on the four labour codes which are patently against the rights of workers; the U S Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released its Annual Report on 1 May stating that conditions for religious freedom in India “continued to worsen in 2022”; the continued protest by the Indian women wrestlers at Jantar Mantar for the expulsion of the chief of the Indian Wrestlers Federation on very serious allegations; the Elections in Karnataka on 10 May (with communalism and corruption as the mainstay); the release of the fake, derogative and insensitive film ‘The Kerala Story’; the release of World Free Press Index on 3 May which places India

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Unlike other revolutionaries, Hindutva icon wrote 5 mercy petitions to British masters

By Shamsul Islam*  The Hindutva icon VD Savarkar of the RSS-BJP rulers of India submitted not one, two,or three but five mercy petitions to the British masters! Savarkarites argue: “There are no evidences to prove that Savarkar collaborated with the British for his release from jail. In fact, his appeal for release was a ruse. He was well aware of the political developments outside and wanted to be part of it. So he kept requesting for his release. But the British authorities did not trust him a bit” (YD Phadke, ‘A complex Hero’, "The Indian Expres"s, August 31, 2004)

Polygamy in India "down" in 45 yrs: Muslims' from 5.7 to 2.55%, Hindus' 5.8 to 1.77%, "common" in SCs, STs

By Rajiv Shah Amidst All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) justifying polygamy, saying it “meets social and moral needs and the provision for it stems from concern and sympathy for women”, facts suggest the the practice is down from 5.7 per cent of Muslim families in 1961 to 2.55 per cent in 2006.

India joining US sponsored trade pillar to hurt Indian farmers, 'promote' GM seeds, food

Counterview Desk  As many as 32 civil society organisations (CSOs), in a letter to Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) and India joining the trade pillar, have said that its provisions will allow the US to ensure a more favourable regulatory regime “for enhancing its exports of genetically modified (GM) seeds and GM food”, underlining, it will “significantly hurt the livelihoods of Indian farmers.”

Savarkar 'criminally betrayed' Netaji and his INA by siding with the British rulers

By Shamsul Islam* RSS-BJP rulers of India have been trying to show off as great fans of Netaji. But Indians must know what role ideological parents of today's RSS/BJP played against Netaji and Indian National Army (INA). The Hindu Mahasabha and RSS which always had prominent lawyers on their rolls made no attempt to defend the INA accused at Red Fort trials.

Modi govt 'wholly untrustworthy' on Covid data, censored criticism on pandemic: Lancet

By Rajiv Shah*   One of the world’s most prestigious health journals, brought out from England, has sharply criticised the Narendra Modi government for being “wholly untrustworthy on Covid-19 health data”, stating, the “official government figures place deaths at more than 530 000, while WHO excess death estimates for 2020 and 2021 are near 4·7 million.”

Savarkar 'opposed' Bhagat Singh's, Netaji's dream of India, supported British war efforts

By Shamsul Islam* In a shocking development, the student wing of the RSS put the busts of martyrs Bhagat Singh and Subhash Chandra Bose with Savarkar's on one pedestal at the University of Delhi late in the night on August 20, 2019. Bhagat Singh sacrificed his life for a socialist-democratic-secular republic and Netaji raised Azad Hind Fauj (INA) consisting of people of all religions and regions for armed liberation of India.