Vishwakarma Puja to be celebrated under shadow of COVID-19 in Jamshedpur

Jamshedpur, Sep 16: Like previous year, Vishwakarma Puja will be a low key affair as the usual revelry due to the possible third wave of Covid pandemic. Adityapur Small Industries Association (ASIA) has decided to keep the celebration restricted to rituals.

Most small, medium and large scale industries in Adityapur would perform rituals. The priests have been asked to perform rituals in presence of a restricted number of people. Social distancing and other Covid norms will be followed during the Puja.

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.

The usual fervour of the festival is missing due to the spread of coronavirus. Most of the industries have announced to skip the celebrations and have decided to just perform a few rituals.

Preparations for the celebrations began last evening with construction and factory workers decorating their worksites and setting up altars.

A city-based industrialist said this year’s Vishwakarma Puja would be symbolic. They will pray to God that the situation improves. They will plan a grand celebration next year.

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 machines observe the day with deep reverence.

 Vishwakarma is 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 worshiped 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.