Muneeswarar, or Muneeswaran (Tamil: முனீஸ்வரன் Malayalam: മുനീശ്വരൻ ), is a popular Hindu deity within Hinduism, and is worshipped by many, in countries such as India, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Fiji and many more.

[1] He is often portrayed wearing a large moustache and wielding weapons such as a trident, Indian machete, whip and spear.

[1] His forehead and body is believed to be smeared with holy ash, an indication of his association with Lord Shiva.

[9] Theses include things such as animal sacrifices, the offerings of non-vegetarian food items, alcohol and tobacco.

[2] Apart from this claim, most of the widely accepted histories of the deity stems from oral traditions, that have been passed down from one generation to another.

[1] Muneeshwaran pleased Lord Shiva through his devotion, and thus the latter awarded him the title of “Iswaran” and blessed him as him guardian deity.

[2] In special cases, new forms of Muneeshwarans are introduced based on the devotees perception, vision or dream of the deity.

[12] In most cases, Muneeshwaran is portrayed to be a fierce man, which supposedly is dedicated towards to the destruction of evil and other negative traits of humans alike.

[1] In other cases, Muneeshwaran is portrayed in a peaceful manner, which supposedly denotes his spiritual and boon giving tendencies.

[13] Despite the difference in intensity, Muneeshwaran is almost always seen wearing a long and thick moustache and holding weapons, like a trident, machete or whip.

[1] Statues of Munyandi or Munisewaran from a village in Kandy, Sri Lanka Besides India, Muneeshwaran worship is extremely popular in Singapore and Malaysia, with many shrines and temples dedicated to the deity.

[1] Most of these temples were initially set up by immigrants that came to Malaya from Tamilnadu, particularly Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Madurai and Salem, where the worship of the deity was prevalent.

[5] As the temples developed over the years, they built more intricate and complex statues of the deity, which portrayed his physical features.

[17] This is usually done at major festivals or prayers, and is considered to be a clear sign of the physical presence or blessing of the deity.

[19] Trance is also used as a platform for devotees to communicate with the deity and vice versa, to provide solutions and advises for a multitude of topics.