Karni Mata Temple

Karni Mata Temple or "Rat Temple" is a very famous temple in Deshnoke which is located 30 km from Bikaner in Rajasthan, India.
The temple is famous throughout India for the 20,000 black rats that live and are worshiped in the temple. These mice are considered sacred and are called "kabbah". Many people visit this temple from faraway places to pay their respects to these mice and fulfill their wishes. The temple witnesses a large number of curious visitors and tourists from all over India who recognize the presence of these "mice". The temple designed in the Mughal style has a beautiful marble facade made up of solid silver doors built by Maharaja Ganga Singh. On the other side of the gate are many other silver gates with plaques depicting various legends of the goddess. The Goddess Shrine is located in the Inner Sanctuary. The temple was decorated and embellished in 1999 by Hyderabad-based jeweler Kundanlal Verma. The marble sculptures and the silver rats were also donated to the temple by him. According to local folklore, an army of 20,000 soldiers defected to a nearby battle and ran to the village of Deshnoke. When Mata learned of the sins of desertion punishable by death, he spared their lives by turning them into rats. Her soldiers also thanked and promised the goddess to serve her forever. Few white rats can be found among those black mice believed to be Karni Mata herself and her four children.

Another legend says that Karni Mata's stepson Laxman once drowned in a pond that was located in Kapil Sarovar in Kolayat Tehsil while drinking water. Mata prayed to Yama, the god of death, to spare his life, which Yama at first refused and then relented, allowing Laxman and all of Mata's male children to be reincarnated as a rat.

ATTRACTION HISTORY

The construction of the temple was completed at the beginning of the 20th century. The temple is very famous for legendary stories and folklore. The temple is also believed to be a place of high faith where people come to seek blessings from the goddess. It is also believed that if a rat is killed by someone, it should be replaced with a silver rat.