Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the revered Karni Mata Temple in Deshnoke in Bikaner district of Rajasthan today and offered prayers. The temple, often referred to as the 'Temple of Rats,' is dedicated to Karni Mata, considered an incarnation of Goddess Durga.
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PM Modi inaugurates the redeveloped Deshnoke Station
During his visit to the Bikaner district, PM Modi also inaugurated the redeveloped Deshnoke railway station. The Prime Minister also flagged off the Bikaner-Mumbai Express train from Deshnok, marking a significant boost to passenger rail connectivity in the region.
Know about the Karni Mata temple
The Karni Mata Temple in Deshnoke, is renowned not only for its spiritual significance but also for the thousands of rats that inhabit it. The temple is devoted to Karni Mata, believed to be a manifestation of Goddess Durga, and legend holds that she turned her stepson and his descendants into rats.
Situated near the Bikaner border, the temple is a major pilgrimage site, especially for followers of the Charani sagatis. Its prominence grew after the partition, which limited access to the Hinglaj Mata Temple, a revered Shakti Pith located in present-day Pakistan.
Widely known as the 'Temple of Rats', it is home to over 25,000 rats, considered sacred and affectionately called kābā, believed to be the spiritual children of Karni Mata.
According to religious beliefs, Karni Mata was born as Righubai in 1387 into a Charan family. She was married to Depaji Charan from the village of Sathika, but chose a spiritual path after becoming detached from worldly life. She got her younger sister, Gulab, to marry her husband to continue the family line and dedicated herself to religious service and helping others.
Owing to her selfless service and spiritual devotion, people began to refer to her as Karni Mata. The temple still maintains the site where she once worshipped her deity. It is believed she lived for 151 years, and after her passing, devotees installed her idol at the temple, which became a sacred place of worship.
It is also believed that spotting a white mouse at the temple is considered auspicious. As per legend, Karni Mata's stepson Laxman, the child of her husband and her sister, drowned in Kapil Sarovar. Following this, Karni Mata pleaded with Yama, the god of death and justice, to revive him. Moved by her devotion, Yama restored Laxman's life, but as a rat. Since then, it is believed that upon death, Karni Mata's descendants are reborn as rats and return to live in the temple.
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