Minister joins workers, industrial communities and local residents in observing Vishwakarma Puja, highlighting the importance of craftsmanship, engineering and industry to Odisha’s growth
GTNS ,SEPTEMBER 18, 2026, PARADIP, ODISHA — Odisha Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain visited several Vishwakarma Puja pandals across Paradip, joining workers, industrial communities and local residents in observing the festival dedicated to Lord Vishwakarma, regarded in Hindu tradition as the divine architect and craftsman.
Beginning with the traditional invocation, “Om Vishwakarmane Namah,” the celebrations reflected the close connection between Vishwakarma Puja and the industrial character of Paradip, one of Odisha’s major industrial and port centres.
During his visit, Swain visited various Puja pandals in different parts of Paradip and participated in the religious observances. He offered prayers before Lord Vishwakarma and interacted with members of the organising committees, workers and local people associated with the celebrations.
Vishwakarma Puja holds particular significance in industrial areas, where the festival is traditionally observed by engineers, technicians, mechanics, craftsmen, factory workers, transport operators and businesses dependent on machinery and technical skills.
A FESTIVAL LINKED TO INDUSTRIAL LIFE
The festival is not only a religious observance but also carries a strong cultural connection with India’s working and industrial communities.
Lord Vishwakarma is traditionally associated with architecture, engineering, construction, craftsmanship and the creation of tools and structures. For workers and industrial establishments, the annual Puja provides an occasion to express respect for the tools, machines and skills that support their livelihoods.
That connection was especially visible in Paradip, where port operations, industries, logistics, engineering services and supporting businesses form an important part of the local economy.
Minister Swain’s visit to the Puja pandals brought together the religious and industrial dimensions of the occasion.
PRAYERS, GREETINGS AND COMMUNITY INTERACTION
At the different pandals, the Minister took part in the Puja rituals and conveyed his greetings to people observing Vishwakarma Puja.
He interacted with members of Puja committees and local residents and acknowledged the contribution of workers and technical professionals whose skills support industrial and economic activity.
The celebrations across Paradip were marked by decorated Puja pandals, traditional rituals and participation from workers and residents.
For the industrial workforce, Vishwakarma Puja also represents a moment to seek blessings for safety, productivity and prosperity in workplaces where machinery and technical operations play a central role.
PARADIP’S INDUSTRIAL IDENTITY
The Minister’s visit also highlighted the broader significance of Paradip within Odisha’s industrial landscape.
Paradip has developed as a major maritime and industrial centre, with its port, logistics network and industrial establishments contributing to the state’s economic activity.
The area brings together a wide range of workers and professionals, from engineers and machine operators to transport workers, technicians and supporting service providers.
Against this backdrop, Vishwakarma Puja carries a special relevance. The festival connects traditional Indian reverence for craftsmanship with the modern industrial workforce that operates the machinery and infrastructure driving economic activity.
THE SPIRIT OF VISHWAKARMA PUJA
The traditional prayer — “Gyanamayam Vishwakritam Vande Vishwakarmanam, Srishtikarta-Swaroopam Cha Sarvavidya-Pravartakam” — invokes Lord Vishwakarma as a figure associated with creation, knowledge and the advancement of skills.
The spirit of the festival therefore extends beyond the Puja rituals themselves. It celebrates the people whose knowledge, craftsmanship and technical abilities transform ideas and designs into functioning machines, infrastructure and productive workplaces.
Minister Sampad Chandra Swain’s visit to the different Puja pandals in Paradip placed this connection between faith, skilled work and industrial development at the centre of the day’s observances.
For Paradip’s industrial and working communities, Vishwakarma Puja thus remained both a traditional religious celebration and an expression of respect for the workforce and technical skills that keep the region’s economic activities moving.
News Editor: Sanatan Dalabehera
Global Times News | INDIA ; GTNS