Deshnok Karni Mata Mandir | Rajasthan’s Amazing Rat Temple

Deshnok Karni Mata Mandir – The Rat Temple of Rajasthan, India

A loud shriek of fear pierced through the temple premises. Usually, you associate temples with silence, but then what was that shriek that smote the somnolence of the temple? It was actually one of the members of our group who had frozen in her tracks and the shrieks of alarm emanated from her lips. This was not just any other temple, it was the Deshnok Karni Mata Mandir – the rat temple in Rajasthan.

Our travels have taken us to different temples in different places in India and abroad. And they have always fascinated us as each one has a different story to tell. Be it the subterranean Patal Bhuvaneshwar temple, the sun temples of Konark and Katarmal, the enigmatic temple of Jagannath at Puri, a little known temple of Jamnagar that figures in the Guinness Book of Records, the temples of Siem Reap in Cambodia, and many others.

But nothing compares to the experience that awaited us at the Karni Mata Mandir Deshnok Bikaner.

Our Experience At The Deshnok Karni Mata Ka Mandir

The experience of the Karni Mata temple Deshnoke reaches you even before you enter it. Some in the group were feeling apprehensive, having heard accounts of the creepy feeling that the temple could generate. But nevertheless most gathered enough courage and we made our way towards the temple.

A small path lined with shops leads to the main entrance of the temple. At first glance, the exterior of the temple looks more like a small palace rather than a temple. A pink and white structure, the building has a strangely calming effect. We leave our footwear at the designated place and walk barefooted towards the main entrance of the temple.

The Deshnok Karni Mata temple is bounded by a tall wall that has the appearance of the rampart of a fort. We spotted a magnificent door made of white marble on the side.

The main door itself is part of a lovely facade which is again made of white marble. The doors are made of solid silver, which was donated by the visionary King Ganga Singh of Bikaner.

A flight of pigeons hopped and skipped on the right side of the facade as we crossed it and entered the precincts of the Deshnok Karni Mata temple.

We joined a queue of men, women, and children that was formed between two steel railings. The queue would lead us to the sanctum sanctorum of the Deshnok Karni Mata Temple.

A grey fluffy form stretched languorously on the railing while another wanted to get close to our feet. As we moved inside the temple, we could see hundreds of rats going about their business, some eating on the offerings given by devotees, while many others relaxed in cosy corners that they had laid siege too. Only a few were curious and came up to sniff at our feet, as we walked gingerly towards the sanctum sanctorum.

It is estimated that thousands of rats thrive in the Deshnok Karni Mata temple, they have a free run of the entire temple premises and can be seen everywhere. Some solo, some in couples, and some in groups. Some huddled together as if in a team huddle, some dining together from the huge plates filled with water, milk, or other offerings of food. We found most of them sluggish and drowsy, most preferring to doze.

It could be it was their afternoon siesta time! However, some darted across with alacrity like pawns across the floor that resembles a chessboard with its black and white squares. The temple is full of panels of marble carvings that depict the story of Karni Mata. Marble pillars and arches lend an aesthetic contrast to the rats that run amok in the temple.

Though the rats’ hog all the limelight,  the temple of Karni Mata is not a temple dedicated to rats. It is dedicated to Karni Mata, who was a female warrior saint who lived during the 15th and 16th century and was regarded as an incarnation of the Hindu Goddess Durga.

Karni Mata is revered throughout the state of Rajasthan and there are many temples dedicated to Karni Mata across the state. She was for long the official deity of the royal families of the erstwhile kingdoms of Bikaner and Jodhpur. Why were temples built to Karni Mata? Why is the Karni Mata temple of Deshnoke inhabited by thousands of rats?

For answers to these and other intriguing questions, keep reading as we look at the story of Karni Mata, in the next section.

The queue led us to the epicentre of the temple which houses the deity. An image of Karni Mata is housed in a small recess which is framed by a door with beautiful carvings in marble. The priest who is from the Charan community to which Karni Mata also belonged, worships the Goddess and accepts the offerings from the devotees on her behalf. Some of the offerings placed in front of the Goddess are being heartily devoured by the rats.

We bow our head in reverence and again gingerly make our way towards the left of the sanctum sanctorum to complete the customary circumambulation of the temple. As we walk along the outer corridor that encircles the inner temple, we again see the ubiquitous rats in various moods.

People move around, some oblivious of the rats and immersed in solemn prayer, some glancing curiously at the antics of the rats, and still, others terrified by the sight and touch of the furry animals making merry in their rodential heaven.

We leave the temple premises marveling at this strange harmony of Man and rodent, which if you think deeply is nothing new in Hinduism. Animals, trees, plants, and every other living organism has its place in Hinduism, be it monkeys immortalized by the popular Hindu deity Hanuman or elephants symbolized by Ganesha, snakes, cows, bulls, tigers, and even owls, Hinduism has always revered nature, earth, and all its inhabitants.

Karni Mata Story

Karni Mata was a lady warrior and a saint believed to have supernatural powers who lived during the 15th and 16th centuries. It is believed that she lived for 151 years and then disappeared not far from where the Deshnok Karni Mata Mandir is located today.

Karni Mata lived an ascetic life and was highly venerated during the course of her lifetime itself. The royal families of Bikaner and Jodhpur had her as their presiding deity and would take her advice on various matters. In fact, the foundation stones for the Bikaner Fort which was a small fort that existed before the Junagarh Fort was built and the Mehrangarh fort in Jodhpur was laid by her.

It is said that when Rao Jodha decided to build the Meharangarh Fort atop a hill, he had to confront a powerful hermit named Cheeria Nathji who lived on the hill and refused to budge. Rao Joda sought the help of Karni Mata who came to his aid and asked the hermit to vacate the hill. The hermit acknowledged the superior power of Karni Mata and acquiesced.

Rao Joda thought it appropriate and auspicious to have the foundation stone laid by Karni Mata.

Karni Mata is believed to have performed several miracles and was worshipped as a divine incarnation in her lifetime itself with temples being built for her worship. The oldest temple that was dedicated to her was built in the 15th century in a village called Mathania near Jodhpur by Amaraji Charan.

The Mystery Of the Rats At The Deshnok Karni Mata Temple

There are many myths and legends according to local beliefs about the rats that live in the temple. The most popular and widely accepted theory is that, once Karni Mata’s son named Laxman drowned in a pond while drinking water at a village called Kolayat located some 50 odd kilometres from Bikaner.

Stricken with grief, Karni Mata beseeched the Hindu God of death, Yama, to release her son from the tentacles of death. But Yama was unmoved. But finally, moved by her insistence, he relented and granted a boon that ensured Laxman and also her other sons were reincarnated as rats.

The reference to Karni Mata’s sons here could be actually to her stepsons as it is also believed that though she was married to one Depoji Charan, she led a celibate life. She told her husband that she wanted to lead a spiritual life and would not engage in physical intimacy. She then got him married to her own younger sister to ensure he had a normal wedded life.

The belief today is that the rats in the temple of Karni Mata are Karni Mata’s sons and other descendants and probably Karni  Mata herself. Amongst the thousands of black rats, there are a few white ones which can be seen occasionally.

Whoever spots a white rat is believed to be doubly blessed as the people believe that these could be Karni Mata herself. The strong belief among the Charan community is that whoever dies from their community reincarnates as a rat and lives in the temple of Karni Mata.

That is why they consider the rats as their family, their dead relatives and consider it auspicious to be touched by them. Many even share their food with them without any qualms whatsoever.

Fascinating Facts Of Karni Mata Temple – Deshnok, India

The Karni Mata temple facts make for fascinating reading, here are some of the facts, legends, myths, and stories of the temple.

• It is incredible that though rats have a free run of the temple and even food is shared by the locals there has never been an incidence of sickness on account of this
• The Karni Mata Temple at Deshnoke is not the only one, there are many more in the state of Rajasthan and Bikaner itself, but this is the one famous for its rat population
• The endangered Blackbuck that shot to fame after Bollywood star Salman Khan was convicted for its poaching is believed to be under the protection of Karni  Mata and locally known as Krishna Saara Mriga
• Even when there was a plague in the region the village of Deshnok remained unaffected and this is attributed to the blessings of Karn Mata

How To Reach Karni Mata Temple, Deshnoke

• The Karni  Mata temple is located in a village called Deshnoke. Bikaner to Deshnok distance is about 30 kilometres
• The nearest airport is Bikaner Airport about 42 kilometres away
• Deshnok Karni Mata temple is about 363 kilometres from Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
• Bikaner is connected to other cities of India like Jaipur, Delhi, etc., by air, road, and rail

Watch our Karni Mata video – करणी माता विडियो

Tips For visiting Karni Mata Temple Bikaner

• Though for some it may look weird or bizarre, keep in mind that it is a religious place and hence respect the feelings of the faithful and preserve the sanctity of the place
• Ensure you are dressed modestly as befits a place of worship
• Footwear is not allowed inside the Deshnok Karni Mata temple and needs to be deposited at the footwear stand outside the temple, foreign visitors are provided with outer coverings for their feet
• Leather belts are not allowed inside the temple
• Photography is allowed inside the Deshnok Karni Mata temple at a nominal charge, but photographing the deity and sanctum sanctorum is not allowed and this dictum should be respected
• Do not harm the rats in any way, they will not harm you
• If you can take your eyes off the rats, do spare some time to look around the temple at the beautiful marble carvings

FAQ For Karni Mata Mandir Bikaner

• Who made Karni Mata temple?

• The Karni Mata temple Deshnoke as we see it today was built by Maharajah Ganga Singh in early 20th century

• Why are there rats in Karni Mata temple?

• The rats in the Deshnoke Karni Mata mandir are believed to be the reincarnation of Karni Mata’s sons and the ancestors of the Charan community

• What is the Karni Mata temple famous for?

• The Karni Mata Mandir Bikaner is known the world over as the temple of rats

• Which country worships rats?

• Rats are worshipped at the Karni Mata temple Deshnoke in Rajasthan, India

• What are the Karni Mata temple timings?

• The Karni Mata temple in Deshnok is open from 4.30 AM to 10 PM

How to plan a trip to Desknoke Karni Mata Temple near Bikaner Rajasthan India and Where To Stay While Visiting Karni Mata Temple At Deshnok

If you wish to plan a trip to Desknoke Karni Mata Temple near Bikaner then you can book flights and hotels right here. You can book your hotels through TripAdvisor or Cleartrip or Booking.com and accrue huge savings. If you have a valid Indian driving license then you could rent a self-drive car from Delhi and plan a road trip in Rajasthan.

One can stay at Bikaner and drive down to the Karni Mata Temple at Deshnok. There are many hotels in Bikaner which offer a range of options. Some of the recommended places to stay in and explore Bikaner are the Hotel Gaj Kesri if you want luxurious accommodation in a spacious property in the midst of nature.

If you want to experience the vibes of the city and its culture and also a flavour of its rich heritage then you can opt for a stay in the luxurious Bhanwar Niwas, the only Rampuria Haveli that is accessible to the public.

If you want to experience Bikaner in a royal style you must stay at the Hotel Gaj Kesri which offers a secluded, quiet, and rejuvenating experience.

You can also book online tours in Bikaner to see other interesting places in Bikaner.

Other Places To See Near Karni Mata Temple Deshnok

• Junagarh Fort
• Lalgarh Palace
• National Research Centre on Camels
• Rampuria Havelis
• The Royal Cenotaphs
• Bhandasar Jain Temple

The Karni Mata temple Deshnoke stands as a monument of faith for some, it is India’s Bizarre Temple of Rats for others, it is a place of tourism interest for many, while for the Charan community and other believers it is an unshakeable truth, an inevitable destiny, and an integral part of their lives.

Have you visited this unique temple? If you have not, do so as it is one of the Bikaner tourist places that is a must-see. We hope you like this Karni Mata blog post which is about one of the most unique places that we have visited so far. We will continue to bring you more stories of amazing places from around the world. Do let us know your thoughts through our comments section.

We were hosted by Hotel Gaj Kesri. However, the views and opinions expressed here are our own.

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