Re: [nukkad] Heard of Biswakarma puja?

["Ravi Menon" <>]

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http://hinduism.about.com/library/weekly/aa092401a.htm?nl=1

Vishwakarma is the presiding deity of all craftsmen and architects. Son of
Brahma, he is the divine draftsman of the whole universe, and the official
builder of all the gods' palaces. Vishwakarma is also the designer of all
the flying chariots of the gods, and all their weapons.

*The Mahabharata <http://hinduism.about.com/cs/epics/inde.htm> *describes
him as "The lord of the arts, executor of a thousand handicrafts, the
carpenter of the gods, the most eminent of artisans, the fashioner of all
ornaments ... and a great and immortal god..." He has four hands, wears a
crown, loads of gold jewelry, and holds a water-pot, a book, a noose and
craftsman's tools in his hands.

*Vishwakarma Puja*
Hindus widely regard Vishwakarma as the god of architecture and engineering,
and September 17 every year is celebrated as Vishwakarma Puja — a resolution
time for workers and craftsmen to increase productivity and gain divine
inspiration for creating novel products. This ritual usually takes place
within the factory premises or shop floor, and the otherwise mundane
workshops come alive with fiesta. Vishwakarma Puja is also associated with
the buoyant custom of flying kites. This occasion in a way also marks the
start of the festive season that culminates in
Diwali<http://hinduism.about.com/cs/festivals/index.htm>.


*Vishwakarma's Architectural Wonders*
Hindu mythology is full of Vishwakarma's many architectural wonders. Through
the four 'yugas' <http://hinduism.about.com/library/weekly/aa012101a.htm>,
he had built several towns and palaces for the gods. In "Satya yuga", he
built the Swarg Loke, or
heaven<http://hinduism.about.com/library/weekly/aa051401a.htm>,
the abode of the gods and demigods where Lord Indra rules. Vishwakarma then
built the 'Sone ki Lanka' in "Treta yuga", the city of Dwarka in "Dwapar
yuga", and Hastinapur and Indraprastha in the "Kali yuga".

*'Sone Ki Lanka'*
According to Hindu mythology, 'Sone ki Lanka' or Golden Lanka was the place
where the demon king Ravana dwelled in the "Treta yuga." As we read in the
epic story *Ramayana* <http://hinduism.about.com/cs/epics/index.htm>, this
was also the place where Ravana kept Sita, Lord Ram's wife as a hostage.
There is also a story behind the construction of Golden Lanka. When Lord
Shiva <http://hinduism.about.com/cs/godsgoddess/index.htm> married Parvati,
he asked Vishwakarma to build a beautiful palace for them to reside.
Vishwakarma put up a palace made of gold! For the housewarming ceremony,
Shiva invited the wise Ravana to perform the "Grihapravesh" ritual. After
the sacred ceremony when Shiva asked Ravana to ask anything in return as
"Dakshina", Ravana, overwhelmed with the beauty and grandeur of the palace,
asked Shiva for the golden palace itself! Shiva was obliged to accede to
Ravana's wish, and the Golden Lanka became Ravana's palace.

*Dwarka*
Among the many mythical towns Viswakarma built is Dwarka, the capital of Lord
Krishna <http://hinduism.about.com/cs/godsgoddess/index.htm>. During the
time of the *Mahabharata*, Lord Krishna is said to have lived in Dwarka, and
made it his "Karma Bhoomi" or center of operation. That is why this place in
nothern India has become a well known pilgrimage for the Hindus.

*Hastinapur*
In the present "Kali Yuga", Vishwakarma is said to have built the town of
Hastinapur, the capital of Kauravas and Pandavas, the warring families of
the *Mahabharata*. After winning the battle of Kurukshetra, Lord Krishna
installed Dharmaraj Yudhisthir as the ruler of Hastinapur.

*Indraprastha*
Vishwakarma also built the town of Indraprastha for the Pandavas. The
*Mahabharata
*has it that King Dhritrashtra offered a piece of land called
'Khaandavprastha' to the Pandavas for living. Yudhishtir obeyed his uncle's
order and went to live in Khaandavprastha with the Pandava brothers. Later,
Lord Krishna invited Vishwakarma to build a capital for the Pandavas on this
land, which he renamed 'Indraprastha'.

Legends tell us about the architectural marvel and beauty of Indraprastha.
Floors of the palace were so well done that they had a reflection like that
of water, and the pools and ponds inside the palace gave the illusion of a
flat surface with no water in them. After the palace was built, the Pandavas
invited the Kauravas, and Duryodhan and his brothers went to visit
Indraprastha. Not knowing the wonders of the palace, Duryodhan was flummoxed
by the floors and the pools, and fell into one of the ponds. The Pandava
wife Draupadi, who witnessed this scene, had a good laugh! She retorted,
hinting at Duryodhan's father (the blind king Dhritrashtra) "the son of a
blind man is bound to be blind." This remark of Draupadi annoyed Duryodhan
so much that later on it became a major cause for the great war of
Kurukshetra described in the *Mahabharata *and the *Bhagavad
Gita*<http://hinduism.about.com/library/weekly/cs/thegita/index.htm>
.

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Sad is his lot, who, once at least in his life, has not been a poet. 
-Alphonse Marie Louis de Prat de Lamartine, poet, statesman (1790-1869)
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