A temple with thousands of rats — inside Rajasthan's strangest shrine

Imagine walking barefoot into a temple, only to find thousands of rats, not scurrying away, but lounging, nibbling, and being revered. Welcome to Karni Mata Temple in Deshnoke, Rajasthan — affectionately known as The Rat Temple — a place where these furry little beings aren’t pests but sacred souls.

Trust me when I say that this Mata Mandir in Deshnoke, Rajasthan, has over 20,000 rats. Yes, it is a fact that this temple is renowned for its rat population, and they are considered sacred and are believed to be reincarnations of Karni Mata's family.
It’s a marvel, a dedicated temple for Karni Mata where the line between sacred and earthly vanishes.
A divine encounter with rats

The factor that makes Karni Mata Mandir stand apart from other temples throughout India is that it treats rats with special veneration. The temple is home to thousands of black rats that are revered and considered sacred by pilgrims. It is said in local legend that Karni Mata's son drowned in the Kapil Sar river, and in despair, she prayed to Yama, the god of death, to revive him. Yama, touched by her devotion, consented to reincarnate her son and all her devotees as rats so that they would not die. The temple rats, known as "Kabbas," are said to be the reincarnations of these devotees and the relatives of Karni Mata.

Devotees in India and overseas come to the temple, praying and offering food to the rats. Their sighting, scurrying around freely on the marble floors of the temple and even on the offerings themselves, is a positive omen. The sighting of these sacred rats is a sign of the grace of the gods and prosperity, and people typically believe that to see one white rat among the black is a very auspicious sign.
The architectural beauty
Although renowned for its eccentric inhabitants, Karni Mata Mandir is also popular due to its ornate architecture. The temple, which was first constructed in the 14th century by Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner, features exquisite carvings and silver doors. The temple's main structure is covered with delicately carved marble stonework and refined motifs, capped by a high spire pointing towards the heavens. The temple also has a stunning silver gate and pictures of Karni Mata and her family.

Within the temple compound, the devotees tend to place sweet dishes such as kheer (rice pudding) as an offering to the rats in a gesture of respect. The ritual is based on a belief that the rats, which are holy animals, serve as intermediaries between the devotees and Karni Mata, taking their prayers to the goddess.
How to reach Karni Mata Mandir?
Even though it is an extremely spiritual affair to go to Karni Mata Mandir, it is also an opportunity to see a tremendous cultural tradition. The temple is open throughout the year, but the most prominent celebrations are in the Navratri festival, when the temple becomes a center of worship and celebrations.

Deshnok village is road-accessible, and the nearest big city is Bikaner. Pilgrims have facilities at the temple in the form of a rest house and local shops for religious paraphernalia and offerings. The holy rats, although a rare sight, speak volumes about the spiritual importance of the temple where man and animal live together in harmony to serve the divine.