Karni Mata Temple, Deshnoke – Religious Significance

Karni Mata Temple, Deshnoke – Religious Significance

This temple is famously called as the Temple of Rats. The temple has approximately 25,000 rats. These rats are revered in the temple. These rats are considered the ancestors of Charans and called kabbas. The temple draws visitors from across the country for blessings, as well as curious tourists from around the world. The rats are known as kabbas (little children). They are fed grains, milk, and coconuts shells from large metal bowls.

The rats are fed by members of the extended Depavats family. There are 513 Depavats families and devotees to Karni Mata. Though most of the devotees work at the temple in shifts based on the lunar cycle, some families live in the temple permanently, taking care of the rats and sweeping the floor of excrement and food crumbs. The water drunk by the rat and the food leftovers by the rat are considered holy. By doing so, it is said to bring good fortune to the devotees.

It is said that if any one of the rats is accidentally killed, it must be replaced with a rat made of silver or gold. Shoes are not allowed in the temple, and it is considered auspicious for a rat to run over your feet. Out of all the rats, white rats are held specifically sacred as they are believed to be the incarnations of Karni Mata and her four sons. Sighting them is a special blessing and visitors put in extensive efforts to bring them forth, offering prasad, a sweet holy food.

Because of its revered rat population, the temple was featured in the 2016 documentary film Rats, directed by Morgan Spurlock. The temple appeared on the first season of the American reality television series The Amazing Race. The temple was also featured in Season 2, Episode 3 of Mighty Trains as a stop on the week-long train route of the Maharajas Express. Rajputs also come with their children on jadula (first haircut of children), to take the blessing of the goddess for their children.