ABSTRACT
There are many oral traditions which have occupied an important place on the Indian subcontinent and the SAARC region. There are many stories which reverberate throughout the region with slight variations, including the stories of the famous Indian epic The Ramayana. An interesting aspect of connectivity is reflected through the celebration of the festival of Vishwakarma in honour of Vishwakarma, the celestial architect. One of the most interesting aspects of this festival is its reflections across several layers of socio-cultural ethos of the region, including the mainstream as well as the beliefs of autochthones. Today, the Vishwakarma festival is not only celebrated across several parts of India but other parts of the region in the neighbourhood as well, including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.
