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The Karni Mata temple, Deshnok is situated 30 km from Bikaner. The temple is dedicated to an early 15th century mystic, considered to be a reincarnation of Goddess Durga. This temple is quite famous for a large number of brown rats running around the temple complex fearlessly. It is believed that the souls of dead Charans (traditional bards, the devotees of Mata) reside in these rats. It is considered very lucky seeing a white rat or when a rat runs over your foot.During the time of aarti, these rats are offered sweets, grains, etc by the devotees.The thing which strikes everyone with wonder is the presence of thousands and thousands of rats in the temple which freely moved about unscared of anyone Despite the presence of the pilgrims in great numbers. At no time in the past plague broke out here. There was no incidence of plague at all. People deem this as an miracle of Karanimata. In the whole world this is a unique temple where rats freely move out.
The priests of Shakta cult worshiped the Goddess. The rats are fed on Milk and Laddu. The descendants of Karnimata who are Depawats of the Charan Community worship the Goddess. Whenever someone's whishes are fulfilled, he prepares prasadam in two big cauldrons of iron. This prasadam is distributed amongst who are present and all who visit.
The idol of deity is one feet three inches wide and two and half feet tall. Bikaner's ruler Ganga Singh had the whole temple built in marble. The domes of the temple are made of silver and gold. The manadap and the panels above the image are also golden. Devotees place offerings in silver and gold when their prayers are answered.The elaborate works on the main gate of the temple is a tribute to the fine craftsmanship of the artisans of those days. The principal temple alongwith the circumambulatory path and outer walls is built of red stone but the main gate is grand and high and it is made of marble on which beautiful carving work has been done. Infrornt of the inner temple marble has been elegantly used. The entire floor of the temple is also of marble. Inside the inner temple the small shrine which is said to have been made 600 years ago by Karni Mata herself is present. This shrine the small one and it was built with brick and round stones.
The temple is also famous for its holy rodents who are revered as 'Kabas'.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 tribespeople 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.
According to another legend, the Maharaja of Bikaner had a vision where Karni Mata appeared and asked him to protect her rats. The Maharaja then built the Karni Mata temple with marble and silver adornments.
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