Muneeswarar

Muneeswarar is often believed to be an old/middle aged male deity. Muneeswaran is mostly worshipped in the form of statues (granite, metals, clay etc) depicting his physical appearance, or merely in the form of the weapons he is associated with. He is sometimes accompanied by other minor deities and animals (bulls, horses or dogs), which are believed to be his vehicles. == Different worship methods ==

Muneeswarar is worshipped in both the orthodox Vedic ways as well as the Non-Vedic ways. For example, prayers and rituals are usually conducted in the Sanskrit language by Bhramins, and only vegetarian food products are offered to the deity for prayers and rituals. This method is mostly common in Agamic temples that are very common in India, Singapore and Malaysia. In such temples, Muneeswaran is venerated as a “higher” deity, and treated as Shiva himself. Its worship methods sometimes involve the usage of many items and methods that are otherwise considered taboo in Vedic Hinduism. Theses include things such as animal sacrifices, the offerings of non-vegetarian food items, alcohol and tobacco. This style of worships can be found in Non-Agamic temples, shrines and homes. Due to the differences in worship methods, Muneeshwaran has a variety of disciples from many different demographics. ==History and legend==

The history of Muneeshwaran and his worship remains ambiguous and unclear. In some cases, he is seen to be Shiva himself. This can be seen in temples where Muneeshwaran is depicted and worshipped in the exact same way as Shiva. Examples of this include the Sri Munishwaran temple in Singapore, where Muneesharan wears a snake around his neck and has the Nandhi (vehicle of Shiva) in front of him, just like Shiva. == Different forms ==

In some cases, there seems to be more than one form of Muneeshwaran, with each having his own respective characteristics and traits. 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. 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. == Worship in Sri Lanka ==

Statues of Munyandi or Munisewaran from a village in Kandy, Sri Lanka == Worship in Singapore and Malaysia ==

Besides India, Muneeshwaran worship is extremely popular in Singapore and Malaysia, with many shrines and temples dedicated to the deity. Newer temples of Muneeshwaran were set up by descendants of these early Tamil migrants. In these instances, Muneeshwaran is seen as a contemporary to the deities of the various faiths. == Trance ==

Trance is an important phenomenon that occurs in some forms of Muneeshwaran worship, particularly the Non-Vedic ones. This phenomenon essentially enables the deity to possess the body of a human, who then goes on to display physical traits of the deity. Some practitioners willingly invoke the deity into their bodies, while for others it happens without their control. 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. This topic is highly controversial and does not have unanimous support. Some claim that Muneeshwaran is god, who is above all human attributes and perceptions. Thus, it is impossible and not practical for him to possess people. Others on the other hand believe that his spirit is within the earthly realms, and thus it is possible for one to be possessed by him. ==See also==