Vishwakarman (the “All-Accomplishing” or “All-Maker”), also called Twashtar, is the architect, carpenter, craftsman, and engineer among the Hindu Devas. The Mahabharata praises him as “The lord of the arts, executor of a thousand handicrafts, the carpenter of the gods, the most eminent of artisans, the fashioner of all ornaments... and a great and immortal god.” He is a God of Divine creative power. He built the Devas’ cities, towns, palaces, flying chariots, and weapons, and many great images of the Gods. He even built the whole Swarga Loka, the Heavenly abode of Lord Indra. Also especially renowned are his design of Kubera’s city Alakapuri on Mount Mandara, and the celestial Chaitraratha gardens upon the mountain. He is also famous for architecting the earthly cities of Golden Lanka and Dwaraka.
Traditionally, Hindu architects and mechanics traced the lineages of their science back to his ancient revelations. Hindu temple architecture is based on ancient sacred texts like Sthapatya Veda, Brihat Sanhita, Vastu Shastra, and the Shilpa Shastras, in accordance with the design principles and guidelines laid down by Vishwakarman thousands of years ago, incorporating elements of astronomy and sacred geometry, such that the temple represents the macrocosm of the universe as well as the microcosm of inner consciousness.
He is the patron deity of Hindu architects, engineers, craftspeople, artisans, and artists. Around September every year, Vishwakarma Puja is celebrated - a time for workers and craftspeople to resolve to increase productivity and gain divine inspiration for creating novel products. Hindu artisans, craftspeople, mechanics, smiths, welders, industrial workers, and factory workers commemorate Vishwakarma Puja with great fervor. This ritual usually takes place within the factory premises, on the shop floor, and in other industrial areas, and the otherwise mundane workshops come alive with parties while the workers ceremonially consecrate their tools and machines. They also distribute food to the needy.
There is also another divine architect in Hindu culture: Mayasura, Vishwakarma Deva’s counterpart among the Asuras. Mayasura is another legendary architect and master craftsman, praised in the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and many Puranas. The Tamil epic Silappadikaram extols Maya as the divine architect who laid down principles and practices of architecture and town planning. He too authored an encyclopedic treatise on architecture, the Mayamata, which still serves as a valuable reference source for Vastu Shastra and guidance for architects and sculptors, especially in South India. He famously built Tripura - the three flying cities of gold, silver, and iron, for the Asuras.