Karni Mata Temple:
The Prime Minister recently visited the Karni Mata temple in Deshnok, a small town about 30 km from Bikaner, Rajasthan.
- It is a Hindu temple dedicated to Karni Mata at Deshnoke, 30 km from Bikaner, in Rajasthan.
- Karni Mata was a Hindu warrior sage who lived in the fourteenth century.
- Living the life of an ascetic, Karni Mata was highly revered by the locals and earned many followers too.
- Having received requests from the Maharajas of Jodhpur and Bikaner, she even laid the foundation stones of the Mehrangarh and Bikaner Forts.
- Locals believe that she is an incarnation of Goddess Durga.
- Although there are many temples dedicated to her, this temple in the town of Deshnoke is the most widely recognized.
- It is also known as the Temple of Rats.
- The temple is famous for the approximately 25,000 rats that live and are revered in the temple.
- These holy rats are called kabbas, and many people travel great distances to pay their respects.
- Out of all the rats, white rats are held specifically sacred as they are believed to be the incarnations of Karni Mata and her sons.
- The temple was built by Maharaja Ganga Singh in the early 20th century.
- It has been built in a typical Rajputana style.
- There are a few shades of Mughal architecture with arched doorways.
- The temple facade is largely made of marble, while the main temple doors, which are a recent addition, are solid silver.
