The debut event will be held on Sunday, July 21 from 10 am to 2 pm
Venkat Raman
Auckland, July 2, 2024
The recently established Hindu Heritage Centre in Rotorua will be a beehive of activities bringing together multiple communities to celebrate Guru Purnima, a unique Hindu observation that pays obeisance to the Teacher.
Those of us who schooled in the 1940s and 1950s in India will recall the reverence with which teachers were held by their students for life and visit them on Guru Purnima Day. The Pedagogue-Pupil reunion is special and symbolises the eternal bond.
The Teacher-Student or Guru-Shishya ties can be traced back to the Vedic times- more about this later.
The Hindu Council of New Zealand which owns and manages the Hindu Heritage Centre in Rotorua is organising the Ethnic Market “to provide an opportunity to showcase and sell their unique products.”
Bringing together all peoples
Council President Professor Guna Magesan and Ethnic Market Rotorua Event Coordinator said that the Hindu Heritage Centre is working with the Rotorua Multicultural Council to bring the first Ethnic Market to Rotorua.
“The Rotorua Ethnic Market is a wonderful opportunity for people from all backgrounds to come together and appreciate the rich cultural tapestry that makes our community unique. Vendors from various ethnic communities will display and sell an exciting variety of goods, including traditional crafts, clothing, jewellery, artwork, home decor, and culinary delights,” he said.
The first month will feature vendors from Continent Asia, with Africans and South Americans in the ensuing months, he added.
Professor Magesan said that the Rotorua Ethnic Market will be held from 10 am to 2 pm.
By a happy augury, the Festival is being held on Guru Purnima.
“Guru Purnima is a Dharmic festival dedicated to honouring spiritual and academic teachers. We will celebrate the first 30 minutes honouring teachers from schools in the neighbourhood of the Hindu Heritage Centre Rotorua. Traditionally observed in India, Nepal, and Bhutan by Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists, Guru Purnima commemorates the importance of the Guru in one’s life. This is the first public Guru Purnima Festival in Rotorua,” he said.
Rotorua Multicultural Council President Dr Margriet Theron described the Ethnic Market as a good idea and that it will not compete with the Kuirau Market held on Saturday.
“Having an indoor venue has many advantages, particularly in winter,” she said.
Festival Highlights
Professor Magesan said that as well as students honouring teachers, there is a plan to present traditional music and dance numbers. About 12 vendors are expected to display and sell traditional products, while food stalls serving authentic vegetarian and vegan food are expected to attract much attention.
(Image Supplied by the Hindu Council of New Zealand)
Event highlights:
“The Rotorua Ethnic Market at the Hindu Heritage Centre is more than just a market. It is a celebration of our community’s diversity and an opportunity for cultural exchange. We invite everyone to join us for a day of shopping, entertainment, and community spirit,” he said.
About the Hindu Heritage Centre
According to Professor Magesan, the Hindu Heritage Centre is devoted to preserving, promoting, and celebrating Hindu heritage, fostering cultural enrichment, and spiritual nourishment within the community.
The Centre plans to host regular classes in Rangoli and Mehndi, Yoga sessions and traditional music and dance classes. It also hopes to organise educational programmes, workshops and seminars to deepen understanding of Hindu traditions and practices; celebrate festivals, host events, showcase music and dance performances, and curate exhibitions that highlight the richness of Hindu culture.
About the Rotorua Multicultural Council
The Rotorua Multicultural Council (RMC) supports migrants and international students as they settle in Rotorua. RMC offers various opportunities for them to celebrate their cultures and to increase the local community’s understanding of the contributions these groups make to the Rotorua District. Additionally, RMC fosters relationships between Māori and migrants, helping migrants develop an understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Further information can be obtained from Professor Guna Magesan on 021 0345621; Email: hindu.nz@gmail.com
About Guru Purnima
Hindus have a special place of reverence for Gurus in their hearts and homes, with some of them assigned the status of God.
Guru Poornima is a sacred day, at the start of which devotees worship the feet of their Guru, or his image with flowers, fruits, incense and camphor.
The word Guru is derived from the Sanskrit root words Gu and Ru. Gu means darkness or ignorance, and Ru means dispeller. Therefore, a Guru is the dispeller of darkness or ignorance.
Guru Purnima celebration is marked by spiritual activities and may include a ritualistic event, Guru Puja in honour of the Guru or Teacher.
Many believe that Gurus the most necessary part of life. In addition to its religious connotation, Guru Purnima has great importance for Indian academics and scholars.
They celebrate this day by thanking their past teachers and scholars.
Some of the Rishis appearing during and after the Vedic period were considered a veritable link between the immortal and the impregnable.
Hindus regard the Full Moon Day in Ashad (July-August) as auspicious and call it Guru Poornima, a day sacred to the memory of the great Sage Vyasa. On this day, all spiritual aspirants and devotees worship the sage and honour his divine personage. It is also customary for people to worship their spiritual preceptor or ‘Gurudevs.’
Buddha Purnima
Buddhists honour Buddha as their Master who gave His first sermon on this day at Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh, India. In the Yogic tradition, Buddha Purnima is celebrated as the occasion when Lord Shiva became the First Guru, as He began the transmission of Yoga to the Saptarishis.
In the Vedic Hindu tradition, the day is celebrated in honour of the sage Vyasa, seen as one of the greatest Gurus in ancient Hindu traditions and a symbol of the Guru-Shishya tradition.
Indians believe that the Guru is the only guarantee for the individual to transcend the bondage of sorrow and death and experience the Consciousness of Reality.
