An unusual example of faith in Lord Vishwakarma has emerged among railway employees in Dhanbad. Employees working in the Carriage and Wagon Department of the East Central Railway’s Dhanbad Coaching Depot saved money from their salaries and used the funds to construct a temple dedicated to Lord Vishwakarma on the premises.
Along with constructing the temple, the employees brought a white marble idol of Lord Vishwakarma from Jaipur. Until now, a temporary pandal was set up every year for Vishwakarma Puja. From this year, railway employees will perform the worship at the permanent temple.
For employees of the Carriage and Wagon Department at Dhanbad Coaching Depot, worship of Lord Vishwakarma is not limited to an annual religious event but is also connected with their work and workplace. Employees involved with machines, equipment, coaches and technical resources in the railway consider Vishwakarma Puja an important occasion.
With the objective of giving this faith a permanent form, the employees decided to construct a temple on the premises. Instead of relying on an external arrangement or collecting a large amount of money separately, they decided to save small amounts from their salaries over time.
The plan to construct the temple was made in 2024. From November 2024, employees of the Carriage and Wagon Department began saving small amounts from their salaries every month. The objective was to gradually accumulate enough funds to construct a permanent temple on the premises.
After saving money in this manner for nearly two years, the temple was completed. The temple is the result of the employees’ collective participation and long-term savings.
After the temple was completed, special arrangements were also made for the idol of Lord Vishwakarma. A group of railway employees travelled to Jaipur and brought a white marble idol of Lord Vishwakarma to Dhanbad.
The idol was installed in the temple according to religious rituals. The white marble idol brought from Jaipur is one of the temple’s main features. The employees completed both the temple construction and installation of the idol with religious devotion and observance of rituals.
The consecration ceremony of the idol of Lord Vishwakarma was held on July 16 this year, on the day of the Rath Yatra. A Kalash Yatra was also organised, followed by the consecration ceremony according to religious rituals.
The event was notable for the employees because a permanent Lord Vishwakarma temple has now been established at their workplace instead of the temporary arrangements made during Vishwakarma Puja over the years.
Earlier, a pandal had to be prepared every year for Vishwakarma Puja at the Carriage and Wagon Department of Dhanbad Coaching Depot. After the Puja ended, the temporary arrangement was removed, and preparations had to be made again the following year.
With the construction of the temple, the arrangement has now become permanent. Vishwakarma Puja will be held at the newly constructed temple on September 17. This will be the first occasion on which the employees will jointly perform the Puja at the permanent temple.
The construction process is a distinctive aspect of the temple. While the construction of a large religious site generally involves an organisation, trust or external support, the railway employees here built the temple by saving money from their salaries according to their individual capacities.
Small monthly savings developed into a collective effort over nearly two years. The temple has become a place of worship as well as a symbol of the employees’ collective contribution and their connection with their workplace.
Railway employees work with machines and technical equipment on a daily basis. At the coaching depot, they are responsible for coaches and various technical activities related to trains. During Vishwakarma Puja, employees also worship the tools, machines and equipment used in their work.
Lord Vishwakarma is associated with craftsmanship, construction and technical work. The permanent temple constructed by employees of the Carriage and Wagon Department at their workplace has given a permanent form to their religious faith.
The savings process that began in November 2024 is a central part of the temple’s construction. Instead of collecting a large amount at once, the employees set aside small amounts from their monthly income. This allowed employees to participate according to their individual capacities without placing the financial burden on any one employee.
After nearly two years of collective savings, the temple was constructed. The employees then travelled to Jaipur to bring the marble idol, which was subsequently installed in the temple.
The employees followed religious traditions during the consecration ceremony held on July 16. The event included a Kalash Yatra, followed by the consecration of Lord Vishwakarma’s idol according to established rituals.
Following the ceremony, arrangements were made for regular worship at the temple. Employees can now visit and worship Lord Vishwakarma at the temple beyond the annual Vishwakarma Puja.
Vishwakarma Puja will be held at Dhanbad Coaching Depot on September 17. The occasion will mark the first Vishwakarma Puja at the temple that employees spent nearly two years building through salary savings.
The employees will perform worship together at the temple dedicated to Lord Vishwakarma.
The railway has an important role in the Dhanbad coalfield region, where a large number of employees work in different railway units. The coaching depot is also an important part of railway operations, handling various activities related to trains and coaches.
The presence of a Lord Vishwakarma temple at such a workplace reflects the connection between the employees’ professional responsibilities and their religious faith.
The temple construction was initiated through the collective thinking of department employees rather than the effort of a single individual. Employees contributed according to their respective capacities and saved money over an extended period.
The accumulated funds gradually made the construction of the temple possible. Afterward, a group of employees travelled to Jaipur to bring the white marble idol. Following its arrival in Dhanbad, the idol was installed and the consecration process was completed.
The permanent temple means that a new pandal will no longer need to be constructed every year for Vishwakarma Puja at the Dhanbad Coaching Depot. The worship venue will remain available, while regular religious activities can also be conducted at the temple premises.
The temple, built through nearly two years of savings by railway employees, now serves as a permanent place of worship. The white marble idol brought from Jaipur and the consecration held in July have completed the preparations for worship. On Vishwakarma Puja, railway employees will worship Lord Vishwakarma together and seek blessings for their work, workplace and technical resources.
