The town of Palani, best known for Murugan temples (Karthikeya), also hosts a lot of artists who are very good at sculpting stone, making temples, flower crafts, and other small pooja goods makers. When the sculptors make the marvellous stone sculptures, there exists another group of marvellous artists without whom the endless circuits of temples in and around Palani are incomplete. Stapathis are artisans who design, plan and build, carve, and paint temples. The craft was practiced in Chennai initially. As the devasthanam in Palani wanted to renovate the Karthikeya temple. They had invited Chellakannu Stapathi from Chennai to lead the renovation. After his lead, his nephew Ganapati sthapati came to lead the works in Palani. Ram was initially a potter from Vedikarampatti in Tiruchirapalli and settled in Palani. He learned of this craft from Ganapati sthapati, and he also wanted to become a master sthapathi. Following that, he joined for practice and got a degree from the government college of architecture and sculpture in Mahabalipuram. actor Ganapathi Stapathi Ram has been leading the temple work in and around Palani. After his initial times, he has worked in numerous places across Tamil Nadu and even in Kolar Gold Field. He himself trained multiple stapathies. Now Ram sthapathi is around ninety-eight years old, and his son Shiva has followed his lead and has become a sthapathi himself and leads in making temples.