Shri Karni Mata (The Rat Temple)

Karni Mata ( करणी माता) (October 2, 1387 – March 23, 1538) was a female Hindu sage born in the Charan caste and is worshiped as the incarnation of the goddess Durga by her followers.Durind her lifetime ,She laid the foundation stone of two of the important forts in Rajputana The Mehrangarh at Jodhpur and Junagarh Fort Bikaner.

Goddess Karni is said to have lived and performed many miracles during her existence. Karni Mata was a mystic, who led a virtuous life committed to the service of the poor and the oppressed of all communities .As per the stories, once when her youngest son drowned, Goddess Karni asked Yama (the god of death) to bring him back to life. Lord Yama replied that he could not return her son's life. Thus, Karni Mata, being an incarnation of Goddess Durga, restored the life of her son. At this point of time, she announced that her family members would die no longer; in fact they would incarnate in the form of rats (kabas) and ultimately, these rats would come back as the members of her Charan family. In Deshnok, there are around 600 families that assert to be the descendants of Karni Mata. The present temple dates back to the 15th century, when it was built by Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner. The striking façade of the temple is wholly built in marble. Inside the temple complex, one can see a pair of silver doors before the main shrine of the Goddess. These solid silver doors were donated by Maharaja Gaj Singh, on his visit to this temple. The temple has around 20,000 "Kabas" that are fed, protected and worshipped. Many holes can be seen in the courtyard of this temple. In the vicinity of these holes, one can see rats engaged in different activities. The Rats can be seen here eating from huge metal bowls of milk, sweets and grains. To make the holy rats safe, wires and grills are sited over the courtyard to avoid the birds of prey and other animals. It is regarded auspicious, if a rat (kaba) runs across one's feet. Even, a glimpse of kaba (white rat) is considered promising and fruitful. Twice a year, a festival is celebrated in the honor of Karni Mata. A grand fair is organized during this time and people come here to seek the blessings of the Goddess.