45 minutes outside of Bikaner, India lies a very unique temple that only India would allow to be. Karni Mata Temple, also know simply as “The Rat Temple”, is infested with rats but these aren’t any rats, their holy rats and protected because so.
I had seen this temple for the first time on TV five years ago and told myself if I ever made it to India I would go there and see it myself. I have to admit I wasn’t to keen walking around a temple barefooted loaded with diseases infested varmints but once I made it inside I found out it wasn’t that bad. I was told as well that the rats carry no diseases for some strange reason, as I pretty much assume all rats are laced with some kind of death killing virus. Maybe they are holy and protected after all!
They say if you spot the white rat you will have good luck in life. I walked the temple for 2hrs looking for one and never seen it, so I guess that might explain why I had such a bad experience in Bikaner (article coming soon on it).
In total, I think I had about five rats cross my feet and got shat on by one pigeon directly center on top of the head. Locals got a laugh out of that but at least I was wearing a bandana and was able to just take it off and put it away.
If you’re in Rajasthan, stop off in Deshnoke for a day trip and check it out. Who knows, maybe you will be lucky and spot a white rat!
Tips:
- Take a local bus from Bikaner, 20Rs ($0.45 USD), and tell them you want to get off to see the Rat Temple. They will drop you off the main road and you will need to walk to the temple, that is 5min away. You can take a rickshaw but really there is no point but if you do, pay no more then 20Rs total.
- The temple is free to enter, so don’t let anyone sell you a ticket out on the street stating anything different.
- You must remove your shoes to enter the temple. Outside the temple is a stand that will have lockers where you can store them. It is free but tipping the man 5-10Rs will make his day but it is not mandatory.
- Photos are allowed inside but you must pay for the camera and video. There isn’t really a stand to pay so just walk in and do your thing. Eventually a man will come up and tell you that you have to pay to use it. He’ll write you a ticket for it and your good to go after that. If he doesn’t hit you up, then no worries.
- Click the Wikipedia page to read the whole story on why the rats are at this temple.
Entrance to the Karni Mata Temple, or most commonly nicknamed “Rat Temple”
The rats that live here have it made with milk and food 24/7
There is so much food for them that it’s just thrown into empty rooms left open. You could say it’s a buffet for rats in a way!
“You shall not pass here!” as one lonely rat stands guard at a door way
They have to put up netting overhead to keep the birds out of the temple and from eating the food for the rats. It doesn’t stop them though from sitting ontop of the nets and looking down and drooling (or shatting on people below in anger). I mention this because of the bird feather in the bowel of food.
If there is a hole, there is a rat!
A worker puts out more milk for the rats to drink. The pan behind him is for water.
This little guy was able to find a coconut that was a leftover offering for the God inside
…and you know you have eaten to much, that you pass out on your dinner table. I couldn’t tell if half the rats were dead or just laying out after eating so much.
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Bikaner, Hindu, Rajasthan, Temples |
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