Jamshedpur: Construction activity in and around the city will come to a standstill tomorrow as thousands of construction workers take the day off to celebrate the creative genius of Vishwakarma, who in Hindu mythology was an architect and engineer and built many flying machines.
Automobile workshops and factories around the city especially the Adityapur Industrial Area will also remain closed on Saturday to celebrate the day, which involves setting up altars at factory and construction sites to make offerings to Lord Vishwakarma and distribute blessed food, and concludes with dancing to loud music late into the evening. Vehicle owners also festoon their cars with balloons and colourful ribbons.
Preparations for the celebrations began last evening with construction and factory workers decorating their worksites and setting up altars. The devotees in the industrial sector are excited about tomorrow�s celebrations.
� Vishwakarma puja is an inspiration for many to create new products and increase productivity for the working class and is a resolution time for workers and craftsmen to increase productivity and gain divine inspiration for creating novel products.
The workers at many places make resolutions to perform better from this auspicious day. This ritual usually takes place within the factory premises or shop floor, and the otherwise mundane workshops come alive with fiesta. The rituals are followed by the distribution of prasad,� noted N K Singh, an Adityapur based industrialist.
According to the Hindu mythology, Vishwakarma, the seventh son of Brahma, the creator of the world, was gifted with a unique creativity. In Buddhism, Vishwakarma is known as Lhai Zow Vishwakarma and there are several stories extolling his creative talents. People and organisations that make a living from handling of machines observe the day with deep reverence.
Vishwakarma s the Hindu presiding deity of all craftsmen and architects. He is believed by Hindus to be the “Principal Universal Architect”, the architect who fabricated and designed the divine architecture of the Universe, the Lord of Creation. Vishwakarma is known as the divine engineer of the world.
As a mark of reverence he is not only worshipped by the engineering and architectural community but also by all professionals. It is customary for craftsmen to worship their tools in his name.
He is regarded as the supreme worker, the very essence of excellence and quality in craftsmanship. Vishwakarma revealed the sciences of industry to man and is thus the patron god of all the workers and engineers providing them with courage and inspiration.