If you were to look up the meaning of “guru” in Sanskrit, it means “the one who dispels darkness and takes you towards light”. The meaning of “guru” transcends beyond the idea of a teacher in school – it can be anything from a book you have read recently, a piece of art you cherish or an album from your favorite artist. With that, The Week’s Urza Acharya asked some people to tell us a little about who or what they consider to be a “guru” in their lives.

A teacher’s importance is very well represented by the above doha.  If both God and teacher were standing together, who would you respect first? It asks. Giving due respect to the teacher Kabir says, ‘I would respect the teacher first, who would then show me the way to reach God’. It is a very simple thought, but a very heavy one at that. You might be thinking ‘who are you to tell us about a teacher?’  I agree with you.  It is beyond me to explain the complexities of a guru/ teacher, still this week I felt like writing about the importance of being a teacher.  Now that I have decided to write, I better tell you why teachers are important in our life.

HARIDWAR, June 12: Three years ago, Indian yoga guru and entrepreneur Baba Ramdev was riding high.

KATHMANDU, July 27: The Guru Purnima festival is being observed throughout the country by paying reverence to all teachers today.

Art and culture dignify the social values of Kathmandu Valley. Each community exhibits unique qualities that present the artistic and cultural diversity of the valley. Bhaktapur’s Pujari Math is among many such exemplary architectures that show diversity amidst constricted geographical region. The construction is believed to have come in existence in the 15th century. Historians say that Pujari Math was constructed during Yakshya Malla’s regime in Bhaktapur.

KERALA, March 28: An Indian religious guru whose penis was hacked off by a woman 'as he tried to rape her' has held a press conference to announce his genitals now work again.

NEW DELHI, Mar 1: Kanchi Sankara Mutt’s senior pontiff Sri Jayendra Saraswathi has been laid to rest next to his predecessor, Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi, in Kanchipuram on Thursday.

NEW DELHI, August 28: A special CBI court on Monday sentenced Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment. The dera chief was convicted of rape on August 25.

NEW DELHI, August 28: Thousands of supporters of an Indian quasi-religious sect leader left his headquarters in northern India on Sunday as authorities relaxed a curfew a day ahead of his sentencing for rape.

PANCHKULA, India, Aug 26:   Thousands of security forces have marched through a northern Indian town to maintain calm after supporters of a quasi-religious sect leader protested his rape conviction with violence that left at least 30 dead.

KATHMANDU, July 9: The Guru Purnima festival is being observed throughout the country today by paying reverence to all teachers.

KATHMANDU, Feb 8: Reporters Club Nepal has felicitated a sexagenarian teacher for his commendable contribution to the field of teaching despite his physical constraints.

KATHMANDU, July 19: People, especially students are observing Guru Purnima (Teacher's Day) across the country today.  Guru is respected as he/she helps dispel the darkness.