Vishwakarma is considered to be the architect of the demigods- the Devashilpi. He is the original tradesperson, the founder of craftsmanship & the patron diety of those engaged in the arts & trades.
By invoking his name, Vishwakarma Artsaims to reveal the divine source of the wisdom & joy found in India's culture.
Vishwakarma is the son of Prabhasa, the eighth of the Eight Vasus. Varastri, the sister of Brhaspati, a celibate woman who had attained Yogasiddhi (yoga perfection) & travelled all over the world was the wife of Prabhasa. Prajapati Vishwakarma was born to Prabhasa by Varastri. This Vishwakarma was the inventor of innumerable kinds of handicrafts, the architect of the gods, maker of all kinds of ornaments, & the most famous sculptor. He was the maker of all the aerial chariots of the Devas. (Vishnu Purina, Chapter 15). Though mention is made about many children of Vishwakarma in various Puranas, five sons & four daughters are mostly spoken of. When Mahavishnu took the incarnation of Sri Rama for a stipulated purpose, the devas took birth as monkeys in forests, to help Mahavishnu. Mention is made in Valmiki Ramayana, Bala Kanda, and Sarga18, that Nala, a very big monkey, was begotten by Vishwakarma. The other four sons of Vishwakarma are mentioned in Vishnu Purana, Chapter 15: Ajaikapat, Ahirbudhnya, Tvasta & Rudra.
"Vishwakarma, the famous heavenly architect, is known as the constructor of many wonderful buildings in the upper planets, where there are not only beautiful buildings, but also many opulent gardens and parks, which are described as nandana-devodyana, gardens quite fit to be enjoyed by the demigods. This description of the upper planetary system and its opulences is to be understood from authoritative scriptures like the Vedic literatures. Telescopes and the other imperfect instruments of scientists are inadequate for evaluating the upper planetary system. Although such instruments are needed because the vision of the so-called scientists is imperfect, the instruments themselves are also imperfect. Therefore the upper planets cannot be appraised by imperfect men using imperfect man-made instruments. Direct information received from the Vedic literature, however, is perfect. We therefore cannot accept the statement that there are no opulent residences on planets other than this earth...."
"Krishna first of all constructed a very strong wall covering ninety-six square miles, and the wall itself was within the sea. It was certainly wonderful and was planned and constructed by Vishwakarma. No ordinary architect could construct such a fort within the sea, but an architect like Vishwakarma, who is considered to be the engineer among the demigods, can execute such wonderful craftsmanship anywhere in the universe. If huge planets can float in weightlessness in outer space by the arrangement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, surely the architectural construction of a fort covering ninety-six square miles within the sea was not very wonderful...."
"In this greatly beautiful city of Dvaraka, Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, had many residential quarters. The great kings and princes of the world used to visit these palaces just to worship him.
The architectural plans were made personally by Vishwakarma, the engineer of the demigods, and in the construction of the palaces he exhibited all of his talents and ingenuity. These residential quarters numbered more than sixteen thousand, and a different queen of Lord Krishna resided in each of them. The great sage Narada entered one of these houses and saw that the pillars were made of coral and the ceilings were bedecked with jewels. The walls as well as the arches between the pillars glowed from the decorations of different kinds of sapphires. Throughout the palace were many canopies made by Vishwakarma that were decorated with strings of pearls. The chairs and other furniture were made of ivory and bedecked with gold and diamonds, and jeweled lamps dissipated the darkness within the palace. There was so much incense and fragrant gum burning that the scented fumes were coming out of the windows. The peacocks sitting on the steps became illusioned by the fumes, mistaking them for clouds, and began dancing jubilantly...."
Lord Caitanya, when He appeared, He took sannyasa at the age of twenty-four years, and by His mother's request He was living at Jagannatha Puri. So every year He was taking part in this car festival of Jagannatha.
This Jagannatha Deity was established by one King Indradyumna about more than three thousand years ago. This temple is very old. Even in some literatures of your Christian religion I find that Lord Jesus Christ also went to this Jagannatha temple and lived there for some times. Of course, how far it is true, that is to be judged by you, but I have read this information in a Christian book, Aquarian Gospel. So if we take this incidence that Lord Jesus Christ also went to Jagannatha temple, then from historical point of view it is two thousand years old. But it is, according to our calculation, more than three thousand years old. So this Indradyumna king, he asked Vishwakarma to carve the deity of Krishna, Balarama and Subhadra. And there was a time limit. Vishwakarma made an agreement that 'Unless I finish the deities carving very nicely, you cannot see me.' So door was closed, and the king was very much anxious to see the temple is established very soon. So he forcibly opened the door, and he saw that the deities were half finished. The Deity Jagannatha as you see, it appears half finished. The king decided, 'Never mind it is half finished. I shall install these deities in the temple.' Since then, the three deities Jagannatha, Balarama and Subhadra are being worshiped in India, Jagannatha Puri. Perhaps you know. And the car festival takes place every year, and millions of people go there to participate in that cart, car festival.
So because we have started this Krishna consciousness movement in your country, this car festival and Lord Caitanya's taking part in this is one of the paraphernalia of our Krishna consciousness movement. And because it revives our consciousness about Krishna, it is an easy process for reviving mass Krishna consciousness. Therefore if you participate in these car festivals, as it is stated in the scriptures, "rathe ca vamanam drshtva, punar janma na vidyate"... If you kindly see these Jagannatha deities riding on these cars and in procession, and as Caitanya Mahaprabhu chanted the Hare Krishna mantra in front of this car, then according to our Vedic scripture, if you participate in this festival, in your next life you'll go back to home, back to Godhead