Today is Guru Poornima or Teacher´s Day, the day when students pay respects to their teachers for enlightening them.On the day, the students offer garlands to their teachers and take blessings from them, while also thanking them for their contribution.

The day is also commemorated and celebrated by Hindus as the birth anniversary of Vedvyas, the author of great epics like the Mahabharata, Srimadbhagwat, Athara Purans and Bishnu Sahasranama.

As per Hindu values, people senior with age, knowledge, strength and experience are regarded as teachers while father, mother, maternal uncle, father-in-law, grandfather, great-grandfather, Brahmins and uncle are also respected as teachers.

Likewise, Buddhists celebrate the day as the Dharma Chakra Prabartan Diwas as it was on this day that Lord Gautam Buddha delivered his first sermon.

source: republica,22 July 2013