Kathmandu, September 17
Artisans are observing Vastu Diwas and Bishwokarma Parba today by worshipping and paying homage to Lord Bishwokarma.
Bishwokarma Parba, or the Bishwokarma festival, is observed every year on Ashwin Sankranti, the first day of the month of Ashwin according to the lunar calendar. On this occasion, workshops, artisans and members of the general public formally worship images of Lord Bishwokarma to mark the festival.
Bishwokarma is considered the divine architect of the universe and the personification of divine creativity in the Rigveda. He is credited with constructing the city of Ved Dwaraka for Lord Krishna and the palace of Indraprastha for the Pandavas, as well as creating various weapons for Hindu gods, including Vishnu’s Sudarshana Chakra, Shiva’s trishula and Kartikeya’s lance.
Bishwokarma is also regarded as an expert in architecture, or Vaastu. He is believed to have authored the Sthapatya Veda, which deals with architecture, mechanics and related sciences. He is considered the patron deity of craftspeople, who traditionally worship their tools and equipment in his honour on Bishwokarma Puja.
Artisans decorate their workshops and celebrate the festival with grandeur. They worship the tools, machinery and other implements used in their professions. There is a religious belief that worshipping these tools on Bishwokarma Puja will ensure their longevity, prevent them from breaking during work and help artisans perform their tasks well.
Vastu experts also observe the day as Vastu Diwas or Vastu Day in memory of the authors and scholars who contributed to Vaastu Shastra literature.
In recent years, there has also been a revival of interest in Vastu knowledge in Nepal. The Atharvaveda, one of the four Vedas, contains references to architecture. The number of people building houses and other structures based on traditional architectural principles has also begun to increase. As a result, the importance of Vastu Shastra has grown in recent years.
