Vishvakarma Puja
in Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas, on 17th September 2013

On Tuesday morning, 17th September 2013, a special Puja and Hawana were performed in Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas, to honour and worship Lord Vishvakarma.

It was a beautiful sunny day, heralding the nearing end of a tire- and troublesome rainy season in North India, bringing joy and sunshine into the hearts of all.

This day was indeed most suitable for celebrating Lord Vishvakarma!

The brilliant outer sunshine and the wide azure-blue sky reminded one of Lord Vishvakarma's divine, brilliant creative Power, which manifests countless, shining universes, not only the visible ones, but also subtle celestial worlds with blazing light and endless colours, radiating exceeding Beauty.

Since ancient times Lord Vishvakarma is worshipped as the wondrous artistic Creator of the universes and also as the divine Architect of indescribable beautiful dwelling places for Divinities, including Shiva and Parvati, with extraordinary Temples and Palaces, etc.

Vishvakarma is also the Creator of most beautiful jewellery, therefore artists and gold- and silversmiths worship Him specially and they regard Him as their true Source of their inspirations and skilled workmanship.

Lord Vishvakarma creates not only things, which are immensely beautiful to look at, but also scientific wonders and extremely useful things.

He is the special Deity, worshipped by architects, craftsmen, artisans, carpenters, etc., who offer their working tools, like chisels, hammers, etc. during special Pujas for Vishvakarma.

On the auspicious day of Vishvakarma Puja all the tools are nicely arranged and offered
to Lord Vishvakarma in the carpenter workshop of Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas.

There is an Upaveda, a subordinate Veda, called Sthapatya Veda, which was revealed by Lord Vishvakarma, and which contains immensely valuable information concerning architecture, sculpture-making and the science of mechanics.

Even now great traditional South Indian Temple-Architects gain specialized and rare knowledge and mystical secrets concerning the highly scientific and divine way of constructing Temples, from this Veda. Therefore the Temples in India, specially the ones, who are built according to the South Indian Vedic Tradition, among whom Omkarananda-Kamakshi-Devi Mandir in Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas is a shining example, are outstanding in divine Beauty and mystical Power.

All workers of Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas, in Muni-ki-Reti, Rishikesh, were extremely happy and excited, that they could take part in the special Puja and Hawana, conducted for the wonderful Deity Vishvakarma, on 17th September 2013.

They assembled in the carpenter workshop, which looked like a small simple Temple, with many colourful photos and pictures of Gurudev Swami Omkarananda and different Deities, nicely decorated with flowers and shining lights.

An Altar with a picture of Lord Vishvakarma had been placed in the middle of the carpenter workshop and a temporary Hawanakunda was built in front of it.

Pujas and Hawana were performed by Priests of Omkarananda Ashram and soon the carpenter workshop and the near surroundings were filled with the holy and fragrant smoke from the Yajna.

Shri Swami Satchidananda, Treasurer of Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas also took part in this special Hawana for Lord Vishvakarma, and Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda, President and Kumari Somashekhari, General Secretary, Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas, also joined to receive the Blessings of Lord Vishvakarma.

To honour Lord Vishvakarma a grand Yajna was performed in the carpenter workshop of the Ashram by Swami Satchidananda. On the right side of Satchidananda is Swami Pragyananda, and behind them are sitting Ashram workers.

When this wonderful worship was completed, Prasadam, in form of sweets and fruits, was generously distributed to all.

Everybody felt very inspired by this Celebration in honour of Lord Vishvakarma in Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas, which one could see from the happy and shining faces of all, who participated.