Tirtha Atlas

The sacred geography of the Indic world — every site mapped, dated, storied, and cited.

3031 sites15 countries4 traditions30 centuries
Modern · Hindu · India

Bodyguard Muniswaran Temple

Chennai, Tamil Nadu · 13.0770°, 80.2758°

MuneeswararModern—
Sacred since
1919 CE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
1919
Modern

History & significance

A folk-deity shrine of 1919 about 1.5 km from Chennai Central station, set up by labourers who had come from North Arcot district. Thousands visit daily, many of them holding that Muneeswarar guards them against accidents.

Sthala katha — the traditional account

What follows is the temple’s own traditional account, transmitted through liturgy and local memory. It is recorded here as tradition, not as attested history.

The labourers are said to have placed the idol under a neem tree beside the British military barracks; the commander who objected met with an accident the same day and thereafter allowed the installation.

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Sources

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-27 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Modern