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Deshnok temple - temple of Karni mata, blind faith and its power

We had been to a down memory lane trip. My wife used to live in Bikaner, and we had a long time plan to re-visit her old schools, places they stay and meet her friends (if possible). That story will be told some time later, but I was also interested to see Deshnok's Karni mata mandir while we were in Bikaner. Deshnk is 20 km before Bikaner if you are coming from Jodhpur.

Devotees here believed that all those rats live here are devine. They are protected, offered food and status of god, literally. The prasad offered in this temple are first tasted by these rats. To protect them  from praying birds, the whole temple is covered with net. I was interested to see human being with this faith of worshiping rats.

Entry to the temple -

Rats inside the temple are well, everywhere. You have to be cautious to not put your feet on them. It is considered a ill fated act. One who kills a rat inside this temple is expected to payback in gold of the same weight of the rat to the temple.

Rats have ample food to eat. Ample is actually means less than what they get their. I would like to say in infinite amount, food is provided to these rats. You can see rats asleep post sumptuous meal. they could not even managed to to take them back to their safe place, so you can find them sleeping like a over eaten child sleeping with all four legs up in the air.


It is considered a good luck if one rat cross, touch ones body. These blind faith are clean White like milk, with absolute faith.


Rats sleep together in some places, probably feels safer.



Aarti- prayer is offered to devotees.


Probably a resident, son of a Pujari.

The whole temple is covered with net to avoid praying birds and to stop pigeon making their nest inside temple.

Even with so many food (vegetarian) around these rats were fighting for newly born rat's remains. After all, rats eat non vegetarian food, love it i guess.




Taking the aashirvaad.

Confluence of interests.

One of those sleeping rats.








Large cloths are put on top of those nets to provide shadow for the pilgrims. Through the net and guiding shape of these clothes, I think these two photos depict Karnimata temple in Deshnk quite aptly.



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