Karni Mata Rat Temple at Deshnoke, India
The Karni Mata Temple at Deshnoke, 30 km from Bikaner, India,
is one of the strangest temples in the world. The temple is home to over
20,000 rats, that not only live and dine within the temple premises but
are actually worshipped by devotes who throng the temple in great
numbers. These holy animals are called “kabbas”, and many people travel
long distances to pay their respects.
The rats are absolutely
everywhere, from the door handles to the grills to the ledges around the
side of the marble constructs. They can be seen in dozens crowded
around pots of milk, coconut shells and various other foodstuffs that
are scattered across the the temple. One must tread with utmost caution
not to squish one under the feet. That would be the unholiest of
accidents and for which the person responsible for the death of the rat
must pay dearly – by replacing the rat with one made of solid gold. To
keep the rats safe from birds of prey and other animals, wires and
grills are sited over the courtyard. There are priests and caretakers
that live with families in the temple permanently, feeding the rats and
sweeping away their excrement.
The legend goes that Karni Mata, a mystic matriarch from the 14th century, was an incarnation of Durga, the goddess of power and victory. At some point during her life, the child of one of her clansmen died. She attempted to bring the child back to life, only to be told by Yama, the god of death, that he had already been reincarnated. Karni Mata cut a deal with Yama: From that point forward, all of her tribes people would be reborn as rats until they could be born back into the clan. In Hinduism, death marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of a new one on the path to a soul's eventual oneness with the universe. This cycle of transmigration is known as samsara and is precisely why Karni Mata's rats are treated like royalty.
It is
regarded auspicious, if a rat runs across one's feet, and especially
holy if a white rat is seen. The white rats are believed to be the
manifestations of Karni Mata herself and her four sons. Visitors put in
extensive efforts to bring them forth, offering prasad, a sweet holy
food. It is estimated that there are only about 10 or less such rats
living in the temple.
Eating food that has been nibbled on by the
rats is considered to be a blessing. Visitors often eat sweets and drink
milk that has been tasted by the rats. Surprisingly, there has been no
incidence of plague in the past which is deemed a miracle of Karni Mata.
Strange enough, the rats themselves suffer from various ailments such
as stomach disorder and diabetes, thanks to the unhealthy diet of sweets
and milk, and every few years a rat epidemic decimates the population,
but it soon grows back to its original hefty size.
“There were
many [dead rodents] in the stages of rigor mortis, hanging from ledges
or lying around the temple pillars or just lying in the middle of the
temple with their paws pointed heavenwards”, writes one reviewer for
Epinion. “Bring socks” - is her advice.
