KATY (Covering Katy News)—Katy area students honored their teachers in a traditional Hindu ceremony at Lindsey Elementary School in the Firethorne subdivision on Saturday.
Guru Vandana, or "Teacher Reverence," is a ceremony where students honor their teachers with music and dance.
Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, a cultural and educational nonprofit group, organized the event and is hosting several others across Houston during April and May.
Pradeep Sharma is the executive director of the HSS Houston chapter. He said the ceremony has been held for centuries in Hindu cultures in other countries, for about 12 years in the United States and about seven years in the Katy area. He said "Guru Vandana" is a Sanskrit word.
"Guru means 'teacher' and 'Vandana' is called appreciation," Sharma said. "Teacher appreciation. That's the English translation of it."
Pradeep Sharma
Local Hindu students offer their teachers petals as part of Guru Vandana, a ceremony honoring teachers.
In describing 'Guru,' Sharma said the basic meaning of 'gu' is darkness and 'ru' is removal. A guru can be someone who removes darkness by giving you knowledge, he said.
Sharma said the youngest student who danced on Saturday was four years old. The oldest was a high school senior who will be attending college this fall.
About 70 educators from the Cy-Fair, Katy, and Lamar Consolidated school districts were honored.
The event began with lighting a small lamp called a Diya. This ritual symbolizes the light of knowledge overcoming darkness and ignorance.
Four cultural activities were performed:
- Young students chanted Slokas/Mantras to show gratitude to their teachers.
- Students gave an Indian Musical performance.
- Students gave a Garba dance performance to show reverence.
- Students performed a skit on how and why Hindus celebrate the Diwali festival.
The Guru Vandana ceremony followed. Students offered their teachers flowers and performed a Hindu ritual called Aarti. Sharma said Aarti involves waving light and chanting mantras to express gratitude to elders, remove negative energy, and bring one closer to them.
Students placed a red vermilion mark, a tilak, on their teachers' foreheads at the spot between the eyebrows, a place believed to be the intersecting point of thought. He said the tilak has a calming, spiritual effect.
Students then gave handmade gifts to teachers as a sign of respect and appreciation.
The event concluded with the 300 participants enjoying a traditional vegetarian Indian dinner.
Lindsey Elementary is part of the Lamar Consolidated Independent School District.