The Karni Mata Temple at Deshnoke, 30 km from Bikaner, India, is one of the strangest temples in the world. The temple is home to over 20,000 rats, that not only live and dine within the temple premises but are actually worshipped by devotes who throng the temple in great numbers. These holy animals are called “kabbas”, and many people travel long distances to pay their respects.
The rats are absolutely everywhere, from the door handles to the grills to the ledges around the side of the marble constructs. They can be seen in dozens crowded around pots of milk, coconut shells and various other foodstuffs that are scattered across the the temple. One must tread with utmost caution not to squish one under the feet.
That would be the unholiest of accidents and for which the person responsible for the death of the rat must pay dearly – by replacing the rat with one made of solid gold. To keep the rats safe from birds of prey and other animals, wires and grills are sited over the courtyard. There are priests and caretakers that live with families in the temple permanently, feeding the rats and sweeping away their excrement.
Eating food that has been nibbled on by the rats is considered to be a blessing. Visitors often eat sweets and drink milk that has been tasted by the rats. Surprisingly, there has been no incidence of plague in the past which is deemed a miracle of Karni Mata. Strange enough, the rats themselves suffer from various ailments such as stomach disorder and diabetes, thanks to the unhealthy diet of sweets and milk, and every few years a rat epidemic decimates the population, but it soon grows back to its original hefty size.
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