A Divine Labour Ward
Gods were created by men. So say some. I have no quarrel with anyone claiming that or the contrary. But it's always a privilege to get to watch "Gods" being created by men. In Swamimalai. One of the Six Holy Forts ( Padai Veedu in Tamil) of Lord Murugan, Swamimalai is a small town buzzing around an ancient temple dedicated to the Divine Child known here as His Father's Preceptor ( Swami-nathan or Thagappan-swami). The town is equally well known for its bronzes . A handful of workshops here turn out exquisite bronze and Panchaloha ( 5 Metal Alloy) artefacts using processes that have remained unchanged for ages . The art of bronze casting here was kept exclusively within a small knot of artisan-families who trace their lineage to the Divine Craftsman, Vishwakarma. But now, "outsiders" can also get training from them. There's also a government run school which takes in not more than 20 pupils for each course that runs two years. The workshops where the s