Shri Karni Mata Temple, Deshnoke

History

**Karni Mata's Life (1387–1538 CE):** Born as Ridhu Bai in the Charan community at Suwap village (~31 km from Deshnoke) on Ashvin Shukla Saptami of Vikram Samvat 1444 (~1387 CE) to Mehoji Charan and Devalbai. From an early age, she showed miraculous abilities. She married Depa Charan but, retaining a celibate life, married off her younger sister Gulabai to him in her place. She and Gulabai had four sons together (legends differ on the spiritual mechanism). She became a wandering saint and warrior, travelling across western Rajasthan and even visiting **Hinglaj Mata in Balochistan** (Pakistan). She blessed Rao Bika (1438–1504) — establishing the foundation of Bikaner in 1488 — and Rao Jodha (1416–1488) — establishing Jodhpur in 1459. Both cities consider her their founding goddess. She passed at Deshnoke in Vikram Samvat 1595 (~1538 CE), aged ~151 years per tradition. **Bikaner Royal Patronage:** The Bikaner royal family (Bika dynasty) considered Karni Mata their foundational goddess and patroness. Successive Maharajas of Bikaner sponsored the temple. **Maharaja Ganga Singh** (r.1888–1943), the most modernising of the Bikaner Maharajas (built railways, reservoirs, universities), commissioned the **current marble temple in 1898**. **Modern Era:** The temple is managed by the Charan-community-only hereditary priesthood. The Bikaner royal family continues to be the principal patron. The kabas (rats) are protected and fed daily; large quantities of milk, grain, and sweets are offered to them as part of the daily ritual.

Mythology

**The Origin of the Kabas:** Karni Mata's son Lakhan drowned in a sacred pond near Kapil Sarovar. Karni Mata pleaded with **Yama (god of death)** to restore him. Yama initially refused, but Karni Mata invoked her divine power. Yama agreed, but with a unique condition: Lakhan and all of Karni Mata's male descendants would be reincarnated **as kabas (rats)** within Karni Mata's temple, rather than experiencing normal cycles of birth and death. The rats would live, die, and be reborn within the temple — a closed reincarnation cycle. Furthermore, future generations of the Charan community would also follow this cycle. Hence the 20,000+ rats in the temple are considered **direct ancestors of the Charan community**. **The White Rats:** A few rats are white. These are believed to be **Karni Mata herself and her four sons**. Sighting a white rat is exceptionally auspicious — pilgrims wait for hours to witness one. **Temple Etiquette with the Rats:** - Walk slowly and barefoot; the rats run freely - Accidentally killing a rat requires donating a small silver or gold rat as penance to the temple - Pilgrims drop biscuits, sweets, or grains for the rats — considered seva - Eating prasad that a rat has nibbled is considered very auspicious (it signifies the rat's blessing)