Guru-Shishya Parampara

Guru Purnima (Sanskrit: गुरु पूर्णिमा, IAST: Guru Pūrṇimā) is an Indian festival dedicated to spiritual and academic teachers. This festival is traditionally celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Buddhists, to pay their respects to their teachers and express their gratitude. The festival is celebrated on the full moon day (Purnima) in the month of Ashadh (June–July) of the Shaka Samvat, which is the Indian national calendar and the Hindu calendar.

“Guru Shishya Parampara” or the teacher - pupil relationship is an important part of India’s teaching tradition. In ancient India most of the knowledge was passed on from the teacher to his pupil through oral tradition, this oral tradition of passing knowledge is known as the “Guru Shishya Parampara”. Indian classical music is still largely dependent on this tradition. In the “Guru Shishya Parampara” the student lives with his guru or teacher. The student learns different aspects of the music mostly through observing his guru and by following his oral instructions. Although due to emergence of institutionalized training, now in many parts of the world Indian classical music is being taught on the basis of a particular syllabus. But still “Guru Shishya Parampara” is the preferred method.It denotes a succession of teachers and disciples in traditional Indian culture and religions such as Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. It is the tradition of spiritual relationship and mentoring where teachings are transmitted from a guru "teacher" (Sanskrit: गुरु) to a śiṣya "disciple" (Sanskrit: शिष्य) or chela. Such knowledge, whether it be Vedic, agamic, architectural, musical or spiritual, is imparted through the developing relationship between the guru and the disciple. It is considered that this relationship, based on the genuineness of the guru, and the respect, commitment, devotion and obedience of the student, is the best way for subtle or advanced knowledge to be conveyed. The student eventually masters the knowledge that the guru embodies.
Strengths and weaknesses of Guru Shishya Parampara:
Strengths:
As we know every tradition has its pros and cons and so does this tradition. The “Guru Shishya Parampara” is a very ancient teaching method and thus, in the course of its development it has evolved some unique techniques to accommodate different needs of both the teacher and the student. Let us now discuss the strengths of this tradition:

• The first thing that happens during this teaching process is the formation of a unique mental bond between the teacher and the student. This deep bonding is absolutely essential when someone is learning an art like music.
• In this teaching tradition the student gets the sole attention of the teacher. Even if there are many students studying under one teacher it is possible to impart training to each and every student separately.
• There is no particular time or format of a class. A lesson may be learnt by just observing a concert or performance of the teacher. The time of imparting a lesson is at the discretion of the guru.
• This method helps to maintain the traditional aspect of Indian classical music. A guru who belongs to a particular gharana (or school of music) will pass on the traits of this gharana to his shishya or pupil and over a period of time the shishya absorbs all the necessary traits and style of this gharana and in this way the cycle continues.
• Another striking feature of this tradition is its ability to teach spontaneity. Yes, spontaneous improvisation techniques are taught through this tradition. This is possible due to the fact that this tradition does not lay down a fixed format for teaching so; it varies from person to person, from teacher to teacher. So, improvisation is inherent in this tradition.


Weaknesses:
From the above stated facts we get a clear picture of the strengths of the “Guru Shishya Parampara”. But, there are also some serious weaknesses in this tradition which are as follows:

• The student learns only from one teacher and thus, looks at all the aspects from only one vantage point.
• Absence of a structured teaching method makes students more vulnerable to failures.
• This tradition is particularly helpful for imparting practical lessons. It does not help in learning the theoretical aspects of the subject.
• Overdependence on a single teacher. We must not forget that teachers are human beings and their strengths, weaknesses, mood swings, perception and overall personality become important factors at the time of teaching.

Present form of Guru Shishya Parampara:
The present form of “Guru Shishya Parampara” does not strictly adhere to the principles of this tradition. It rather uses some basic concepts of this tradition along with modern teaching methods and techniques.

By using a MP3 player, iPod or digital recorder a student can now acquire more details in lesser time. Youtube and other such internet mediums have opened up vast archives of Indian classical music records of the past 100 years or so through which students can simultaneously learn and enrich their knowledge base. So, the scenario has changed quite a bit and we can expect to see more changes in the coming years.

Conclusion:
“Guru Shishya Parampara” is still essential for Indian classical music. It has not lost its credibility due to the emergence of new technology or institutionalized training system. What is needed today is a fusion of “Guru Shishya Parampara” with institutional training. New technology and equipment can further increase the effectiveness of this tradition. We must not forget that this is a time tested method. With spontaneity and improvisation as its key ingredients, it is destined to play even a bigger role in shaping the future of Indian classical music.
Gurudakshina refers to the tradition of repaying one's teacher or guru after a period of study or the completion of formal education, or to spiritual guide. This tradition is one of acknowledgment, respect, and thanks. It is a form of reciprocity and exchange between student and teacher. The repayment is not exclusively monetary and may be a special task the teacher wants the student to accomplish.