Observed on 16th September this year, Vishwakarma Puja is an important Hindu festival commemorating the birth of Lord Vishwakarma, the divine architect and craftsman of the gods. It is celebrated by artisans, engineers, architects, and workers who worship Lord Vishwakarma for creating tools, machines, and buildings. Today, we celebrate the art of craftsmanship — to recognize the hands that work so hard every day, supporting and building our world.
Importance of Vishwakarma Puja
Lord Vishwakarma is the architect of the gods in Hindu mythology and is referred to as a divine engineer; he created many palaces for gods, weapons, and also designed their vehicles. Vishwakarma is known as the divine engineer, with The Rigveda crediting him for the creation of the Universe. It is of the utmost significance as it represents the coming together of spirituality and skill, which emphasizes human progress, skills, innovation, and tools.
Vishwakarma Puja: Ideal Connection Between Technology & Spirituality
It is a day on which we acknowledge those who work with their hands and tools to build the infrastructure of our society. People fast and worship Lord Vishwakarma, seeking his blessings on their work to keep them ahead in today’s modern life.
Vishwakarma Puja Timings & Dates
The festival is usually held on the last day of the Bengali month Bhadra, which typically falls in mid-September. This year, it will be celebrated on September 16th.
Vishwakarma Puja time of Kanya Sankranti– September 16 | 10:23 AM in (New_York).Â
Rituals and Traditions of Vishwakarma Puja
Cleaning and Decoration: The preparations for the worship of Vishwakarma begin a day or two in advance. Empty workshops, factories, as well as workplaces are cleaned and freshened up with flowers, rangolis, and colorful garlands. The machines, tools, and vehicles are also given a good scrubbing—with some even getting new paint.
Puja Setup: An area is established by creating a special puja space in the house with an idol of Lord Vishwakarma. Around the idol, offerings such as flowers, fruits, sweets, and incense sticks are spread out. Blessings are made for tools, instruments, and machines by placing them under the altar.
Puja Traditions: The Vishwakarma Puja rituals generally commence with a priest reciting Vedic mantras to summon the blessings of Lord Vishwakarma. One even offers flowers, sweetmeats, and fruit to the idol with sanctified water. Then an Aarti is performed by the priest with a lighted lamp in front of the idol, along with bell ringing and hymn chanting.
Prasad and Offering: The devotees offer bhog, which usually includes sweets, fruits, or other edibles to the deity. These offerings are then distributed as prasad to workers and other devotees after the puja. This prasad represents Lord Vishwakarma’s divine blessings and is known to bring in wealth along with shielding homes from all negativity.
Symbolic Rituals: In industrial setups, it is a practice to perform the puja and, after that, not use machines and tools for the rest of the day, keeping them at work/resting hours, implying respect and supporting healthy practices while on the job. Some businesses also set up community feasts and cultural programs to partake in the fun of the day.
Vishwakarma Puja Procedure
Purification: Start the puja with a purifying ritual wherein you sprinkle Ganga jal around your work area and also on tools, machines, and instruments. This indicates cleansing and ready for worship.
Steps for Idol Placement: Make a small altar or square and place the deity (i.e., image or idol) of Lord Vishwakarma. Adorn the altar with flowers, mango leaves, and a piece of cloth.
Flowering and Sweets: Light incense sticks along with a diya. The idol should be offered flowers, sweets, fruits, and betel leaves.
Chant Mantras: Recite Vishwakarma mantras and prayers. To create a peaceful and stress-free workspace in the office or factory, some mantras of Lord Vishwakarma are chanted so that we can be blessed with wealth and prosperity. These chants can usually be done by the priest or the head of the household.
Aarti: Conclude the puja with a lit camphor lamp, circled around before the idol along with clanging bells. Aarti forms an integral part of the puja, signifying spiritual empowerment and fulfilment.
Offering Prasad: Make the Prasad available for everyone present in a way that they have assembled to receive portions of divine blessings. The prasad consists mainly of sweets and fruits, in addition to any offerings made to the deity.
Conclusion
Vishwakarma Puja is a unique festival that highlights craftsmanship and technology. It is observed to pay respect to Lord Vishwakarma, who is recognized for the tools and talents required by humans to create and work in this world. On this auspicious occasion, we wish you the blessings of Lord Vishwakarma for continuing innovation and steady growth in all your projects.
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