Vishwakarma Puja 2018: With the festival season on in India, there is one festival to celebrate almost every day now. Every year, Vishwakarma Puja is celebrated on September 17. The day marks the birth of Hindu God Vishwakarma, the Devshilpi, or ‘architect of the gods’.

According to legends, Vishwakarma built palaces, weapons and buildings for the gods.

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On the occasion of Vishwakarma puja, engineers, architects, artisans, carpenters, mechanics, factory workers and others worship the Devashilpi, taking a break from work.

People offer puja to machines and tools in factories and other places on this day.

Who is Lord Vishwakarma?

Lord Vishwakarma is worshipped as the creator, or the ‘architect of the gods’. It is believed it was Lord Vishwakarma who created the grand palaces, weapons, the chariots, and the thrones that the gods adorned. Lord Indra’s sacred vajra weapon, made from the bones of Maharshi Dadhichi, Lord Krishna’s Sudarshan Chakra, Ravan’s golden city Lanka, the Pandavas’ Indraprastha — the architectural marvel that ultimately led to the war of Mahabharata — were all said to have been Vishwakarma’s creations.

It is believed that the idols of Balabhadra, Subhadra and Lord Jagannath that are worshipped in the famous Puri temple in Odisha were also created by Vishwakarma.

According to legends, He created the Swarglok (heaven) in Satya Yug, Lanka in Treta Yug, and Krishna’s capital Dwarka in the Dwapar Yug.

Vishwakarma Puja significance

Hindus observe the day as Vishwakarma Puja or Vishwakarma Jayanti. It is believed that he was born on this day as the seventh Dharmaputra of Brahma, the Creator of the universe. The ‘architect of the gods’ is also called the ‘God of Vastu Shastra’, the ‘First Engineer’, the ‘Engineer of the Gods’ and the ‘God of Machines’.

Vishnu Purana refers to Vishwakarma the ‘Dev Karwaaree’.

The day is celebrated especially in the offices and factories. Those involved in work that involves machines and tools celebrate Vishwakarma Puja with great enthusiasm. The machines, offices and factories are cleaned up and given a rest on the day as people worship decorated Vishwakarma idols. Most factories declare the annual bonus on this day.