Holy Rats! Karni Mata – Rat Temple (32 PICS)

April 6th, 2011 Permalink

Holy rats, rats rats! This isn’t Disney World and Mickey Mouse. In India, there is a temple filled with rats on purpose! It’s called Karni Mata, the Rat Temple, and these photographers were brave enough to get close to the rats so we don’t have to get any closer than these wild photos. At this temple, the rats are considered sacred and are protected. If you kill one, you must replace it with a rat made out of solid gold. [32 Photos]

rat temple - Karni Mata

Karni Mata, the Rat Temple, at Deshnoke, Rajasthan, India. Rats are inside the temple and crawling outside too. In fact, rats are everywhere at Karni Mata! Here, at the Rat Temple, rats are sacred and people consider themselves lucky to get close to hordes of rats. Photo #1 by Enric Bach

This is as close as we were willing to go as there were loads more lucky rats inside!

The honest photographer noted, “This is as close as we were willing to go as there were loads more ‘lucky’ rats inside!” Photo #2 by Avid Hills



danila - Karni Mata

This is no Disney World with the famous Mickey Mouse. And Danila (Danila85 from Live Journal) was brave enough to venture into Karni Mata in India. Photo #3 by Danila

danila - rat temple Karni Mata

Karni Mata was a female mystic and supposedly an incarnation of the Hindu goddess Durga. This Rat Temple was named after her. Danila explained that people are required to take off their shoes before entering the Hindu temple Karni Mata as well as any articles of leather. Photo #4 by Danila

brave danila close to rats feeding

Danila was extraordinarily brave, getting close enough to the feeding rats inside the temple to snap many great shots. Photo #5 by Danila

danila - live journal rat temple

There are rats climbing and sleeping on the gates. Photo #6 by Danila

rat temple - rats in dung

Rats running through dung piles at Rat Temple – Karni Mata. Photo #7 by Danila

There are rats sleeping on the wall. Danila said there are rats everywhere! Photo #8 by Danila

rat temple rat infestation

In fact, Danila called it a “rat infestation” at Rat Temple. I don’t care how lucky these rats are supposed to be, I’d be freaking out inside Karni Mata! Photo #9 by Danila

Bowl of Rats at Karni Mata in India. Photo #10 by Owen (owenstache)

Feeding rats at rat temple

These lucky rats live a very pampered life. If you are wondering why, legend has it that the female Karni Mata implored Yama, the god of Death, for a special gift. Yama at first refused, but the the god of death relented, permitting Laxman and all of Karni Mata’s male children to be reincarnated as rats. Photo #11 by Danila

Holy rats at rat temple

Holy rats at Rat Temple. Photo #12 by Barabeke

Karni Mata Temple, Deshnoke, Rajasthan, India

Karni Mata Temple, Deshnoke, Rajasthan, India. In 1538 AD, the female mystic Karni was supposedly traveling with some of her followers. She asked her caravan to stop for water. It was then that 151-year-old Karni disappeared. Photo #13 by Shakti

Karni Mata temple, in the Bikaner district

Hundreds of thousands of barefoot people come inside Karni Mata temple, in the Bikaner district of India. Photo #14 by Vberger

Karni_Mata_Temple

Rats, rats, and more hungry yet pampered rats at Karni Mata temple. Photo #15 by Shakti

eek at karni mata

I’m not knocking anyone’s religion – to each his/her own, but I don’t understand this love of rats. To me, it’s EEK! Rats! Photo #16 by Danila

Gates crawling with rats at rat temple Karni Mata

Gates crawling with rats at Rat Temple Karni Mata. Photo #17 by Ian Armstrong

Karni Mata Temple, India

Karni Mata Temple, India. Here rats are considered protected and sacred. If a rat is killed, it must be replaced by one made out of solid gold. Photo #18 by Shakti

rat temple - Rats plus Pigeon equals sanitary

The photographer commented, “Rats plus Pigeon equals sanitary.” Photo #19 by Jeremy Vandel

ornament on rat temple - warning rats are inside and cherished

There is little wonder to see such a fine ornament on Rat Temple – warning rats are inside and cherished. Photo #20 by Danila

more rats at rat temple

More rats at Rat Temple Karni Mata. Depending how you feel about rats, this might totally freak you out with such huge rat numbers. Photo #21 by Danila

rats sleeping and eat - rough life at Karni Mata

Rats sleeping and eat, not such a rough life for rats at Karni Mata. Photo #22 by Danila

They sleep in small groups in the rat temple

They sleep in small groups in the Rat Temple. Photo #23 by Danila

rats in milk at karni mata

Rats in milk at Karni Mata. Photo #24 by Phil Robinson

Inside Karni Mata

Inside Karni Mata. Photo #25 by Parag Sankhe

rats at rat temple

Big surprise, more rats inside Karni Mata. Photo #26 by 4ocima / enhanced by Zappernapper

Karni Mata Mandir in Deshnoke, Rajasthan, India

And . . . yes, even more rats feeding inside Karni Mata Mandir in Deshnoke, Rajasthan, India. Photo #27 by Madelon van de Water Noledam

rat temple

Starting to see a reoccurring theme here? Rats are coming out of everywhere! Photo #28 by Danila

rat drinking milk

Rat drinking milk. Photo #29 by Danila

pampered rats at rat temple

Pampered rats at Rat Temple. Photo #30 by Danila

Karni Mata rats everywhere

I’m afraid I’d go running out of the temple, screaming! Photo #31 by Danila

rat temple - rats rats rats

Rat Temple – rats rats rats. You know, many of the posts that I do about beautiful or bizarre places, I wish I could go there. But these photos are all the closer I want to get to so many rats at one time, whether they are lucky or not! Photo #32 by Danila



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