Devashilpi Vishwakarma’s annual festival turns Paradip into a week-long celebration of faith, craftsmanship, industry and community spirit
GTNS, SEPTEMBER 18, 2026 ,PARADIP, ODISHA — The port city of Paradip has taken on a festive character as the annual Vishwakarma Puja celebrations formally get underway, bringing together workers, trade unions, industrial establishments, local communities and visitors in one of the region’s biggest annual public celebrations.
Paradip has taken on a vibrant festive character with the annual Vishwakarma Puja celebrations bringing together industrial workers, trade unions, maritime communities, local residents and visitors in a large-scale celebration across the port city.
Odisha Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain visited several Vishwakarma Puja pandals across Paradip and joined workers, industrial communities, Puja organisers and local residents in observing the annual festival dedicated to Devashilpi Vishwakarma, traditionally revered as the divine architect, craftsman and creator.
The Minister offered prayers at different Puja pandals and interacted with members of the organising committees, workers and local people during his visit.
His participation added a public dimension to celebrations that have a particularly strong connection with Paradip because of the city’s industrial, maritime, engineering and port-based economy.
PARADIP OPENS THE FESTIVAL WITH TRADITION AND DEVOTION
The annual celebrations formally began with religious rituals near the Lighthouse area of Paradip.
Traditional drums, tasha, mridanga and bells accompanied the opening observances, while prayers were offered before the sea deity. The religious rituals were followed by a colourful Kalash Yatra, marking the beginning of the festive programme.
The combination of traditional worship, music and the procession brought an immediate festive atmosphere to the port city.
For Paradip, Vishwakarma Puja carries a significance that goes beyond the religious ceremony. The festival is closely associated with workers, machines, tools, engineering, craftsmanship and industrial workplaces — all central elements of the city’s identity.
INDUSTRIES MINISTER VISITS MULTIPLE PANDALS
During his visit, Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain went to various Vishwakarma Puja pandals across Paradip.
He participated in the Puja rituals, offered prayers and exchanged greetings with workers and residents observing the festival.
His interaction with members of different Puja committees also brought attention to the contribution of workers, technicians, engineers, craftsmen and industrial communities to Odisha’s economic activity.
The Minister’s visit came as Paradip’s industrial and working communities observed a festival traditionally associated with the tools, machinery and technical skills that support their livelihoods.
THE INDUSTRIAL HEART OF VISHWAKARMA PUJA
Vishwakarma Puja has a distinctive connection with Paradip because the city is home to a major port ecosystem as well as industrial, logistics, engineering, fisheries and transport-related activities.
Workers involved in port operations, mechanical services, engineering, construction, transport, fisheries and industrial establishments traditionally observe the festival by worshipping machinery, tools and workplace equipment.
The occasion provides workers and industrial establishments an opportunity to express respect for craftsmanship and seek blessings for safety, productivity and prosperity.
In Paradip, that workplace tradition has expanded into a city-wide celebration involving trade unions, industrial organisations, local committees and residents.
THEMES, PANDALS AND ILLUMINATED GATEWAYS
Different Puja committees, trade unions and industrial organisations have created elaborate theme-based pandals across the city.
Among the participating organisations are the Odisha Marine Fish Producers’ Association and the Bharatiya Port Mazdoor Sangh, along with several local Puja committees and industrial and workers’ organisations.
The pandals have been designed as major attractions for visitors, while illuminated gateways and decorative lighting have transformed several parts of Paradip after sunset.
The decorations have also turned the festival into a community gathering where workers and families can participate alongside visitors arriving from outside the city.
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR VISITORS
The scale of the celebrations has prompted organisers to make special arrangements for visitors expected to arrive from different parts of Odisha and neighbouring states.
Facilities including air-conditioned rest areas, free mocktails and drinking-water arrangements have been made available at designated locations to provide relief to visitors during their stay.
With the festival continuing through the week, organisers are preparing for sustained visitor movement rather than a single-day gathering.
SECURITY AND CROWD MANAGEMENT STRENGTHENED
The expected crowds have also resulted in additional security and surveillance arrangements.
More than 40 CCTV cameras have reportedly been installed along important roads and around Puja mandaps to assist with surveillance, crowd monitoring and movement management.
The local administration and organisers are working to regulate visitor movement and reduce congestion around major celebration points.
The security arrangements assume added importance because of the expected scale of the festival and the movement of visitors through different parts of the port city.
MORE THAN 30 LAKH VISITORS EXPECTED
The week-long celebrations are expected to attract a substantial number of visitors every day.
Organisers and local representatives estimate that more than 30 lakh people could visit Paradip during the overall festival period, including visitors from different parts of Odisha and neighbouring states.
Such a turnout would make the Vishwakarma Puja celebrations not only a major religious occasion but also one of Paradip’s significant annual public and cultural events.
The large expected footfall has increased the importance of arrangements relating to security, traffic management, drinking water, visitor facilities and public convenience.
A FESTIVAL THAT CONNECTS FAITH AND WORK
The deeper significance of the celebration lies in the connection between religious faith and the working culture of Paradip.
Devashilpi Vishwakarma is traditionally associated with architecture, engineering, craftsmanship, creation and technical knowledge. Paradip, meanwhile, has developed around port operations, industry, maritime activity, logistics and skilled labour.
That shared identity makes Vishwakarma Puja particularly relevant to the city.
For an engineer, mechanic or machine operator, the festival can represent respect for the tools and equipment used every day. For industrial establishments, it provides an opportunity to acknowledge the workforce behind production and operations. For the wider community, it has become a major annual cultural celebration.
SAMPAD SWAIN’S VISIT ADDS TO THE INDUSTRIAL DIMENSION
The presence of Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain at different Puja pandals brought the industrial dimension of the festival into sharper focus.
His interaction with workers, local organisers and residents reflected the connection between Odisha’s industrial workforce and the broader economic development of the state.
Paradip’s role as a port and industrial centre means that the city’s workforce is closely connected with sectors ranging from maritime operations and logistics to engineering, manufacturing, fisheries and supporting services.
Vishwakarma Puja provides a common platform for many of these communities to come together under one traditional celebration. For More details : https://globaltimesnews.co.in/industries-minister-sampad-chandra-swain-visits-vishwakarma-puja-pandals-across-paradip/
A WEEK OF FAITH, CULTURE AND COMMUNITY
With favourable weather reported so far, local leaders and organisers are hopeful that the celebrations will continue peacefully and in an orderly manner.
The combination of elaborate pandals, traditional rituals, illuminated streets, cultural activities and large-scale public participation has once again given Paradip a distinctive festive identity.
From the opening rituals near the Lighthouse to the Kalash Yatra, from workers’ worship of machinery to the Minister’s visits to different pandals, this year’s Vishwakarma Puja is unfolding as a celebration that connects faith, skilled work, industrial life and community participation.
As visitors continue to arrive throughout the week, Paradip is once again demonstrating how an industrial and port city can transform its working identity into a large public celebration rooted in tradition.
News By Spl. Reporter : Debasmita Parida
Global Times News | INDIA ; GTNS