Vishwakarma Puja is a big occasion of celebration in the industrial belt. This comes every year on Sept 17th. The festival celebrating the God of Industrial Craft ie. Vishwakarma is an important but less known dimension of Bengal. This time I attended one such ceremony in the main telephone exchange at Asansol. In the industrial belt, this is a full fledged festival, where the statue of Vishwakarma is worshipped. I have not seen statue of Vishwakarma being made and worshipped in other part of the country, but Bengal being a place of art, Vishwakarma also gets his due.

Here there was lot of festivity and feasting. Special dishes were prepared - both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. There were also various cultural programmes that were organised to celebrate the occasion. Children participated in such functions showing their skills in painting, singing, and dancing. In such things, even the grown ups are not left behind.

For some, particularly for the working class, it was their day - when they are not expected to work ie. work officially, but spend their time in preparation of the festival. The statue of Vishwakarma is installed and worshipped, and blessings asked for the well being of the various machines. Such festivity in some occasions can span over more than a day - at least upto the time when the statue is kept. The statue is in the conclusion of the festival immersed in water with due honour.

At home, people worship and apply vermillion on various gadgets - television, computer, kitchen appliances etc as a mark of respect and also for proper functioning of such gadgets.

In a way, it is equivalent to the May Day. While in May Day, the workers are celebrated, on 17th Sept, it is the machines that are celebrated. This festival is organised in all the factories and industries in all parts of the country. But in Bengal it seems to be performed with greater gaiety.

On this day, one can well see the garlands and vermillion being applied over various machines, whether it be the cycles, cars, or the railway engine - from small to big installation and from small appliance to big machines. It is perhaps a special way to say Thank You to the inanimate object - perhaps a way to respect and honour ones source of livelihood. While the religious festivals are generally associated with women, the Vishwakarma Puja is associated more with men, or at least those who work in factories.

This time the Vishwakarma Puja also coincided with Ganesh Chaturdashi, when the Ganesh festival comes to conclusion with the immersion of the Ganesh idol. Ganesh festival is a big festival that is organised throughout the country as he is considered auspicious for the start of any work. Ganesh festival, is also a mark of the beginning of the festival season in the country. So at least the next three months would keep people occupied. For Bengal, the list includes the very major Durga puja and the Kali puja.

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