One of the major pilgrimage centres for Hindus, the Karni Mata Temple is located about 30 km south of Bikaner in Rajasthan, to which thousands come and worship this goddess. This amazing temple is famous as the "Temple of Rats" because of the thousands of holy rats called Kabas residing in this temple.
Karni Mata Temple is one of those places that makes visiting quite interesting due to the intersection of faith, culture, and weirdness.
What is the significance of Karni Mata Temple in Deshnok?
Karni Mata is said to be the reincarnation of Goddess Durga and the temple's presiding deity. As the legend goes, when her son died, she asked the god of death, Yama, to restore his life. He agreed on one condition: all her children and grandchildren were reborn as rats. Now, the rats of this temple are considered sacred. People believe them to be the reincarnated souls of the followers of Karni Mata.
What are the main features and attractions of the Temple?
One of the most interesting features of the Temple is the thousands of rats roaming inside the huge building with lots of lovely carvings and bright decorations. According to the belief, if an individual sees a white rat among the black rats, it is a sign of great luck. The Karni Mata Temple ranks amongst the top places to visit in Bikaner.
The rates allow people to offer prasad, which they say brings happiness. One must maintain cleanliness and hygiene to preserve the piousness of the place. There is also a nice marble statue of Karni Mata in the temple, and people worship that, too.
The Temple is one of the prime places to visit for anyone seeking knowledge. It has the unique religious and cultural features of Rajasthan. An admirable place exists wherein faith and the strange can stay together in perfect harmony. Ensure that this temple is part of your Bikaner tour package when you plan to visit there.