Deshnoke · Desert West
The Karni Mata Temple at Deshnoke is a Hindu temple dedicated to the goddess Karni Mata, and it is famed worldwide for the thousands of rats (kabbas) that are worshipped there as sacred. Legend holds that the rats are reincarnated members of Karni Mata's clan, and the temple is managed under the Rat Temple trust. The shrine's marble structure is decorated with intricate silver and carved work, and seeing a white rat is considered especially auspicious.
The famous Karni Mata temple at Deshnoke, between Bikaner and Gajner, is dedicated to the rat goddess and draws devotees all year. Thousands of 'kabbas' (sacred rats) freely roam the temple, considered auspicious to see. Two major festivals, Navratri and the celebrations in the holy month of Sharad, draw large processions here.
During Gangaur, devotees make special pilgrimages to the Karni Mata temple at Deshnoke, one of the most visited shrines in the region. The temple sees crowded aarti sessions and offerings through the festival period. Local celebrations in villages around Deshnoke mirror the wider Marwar Gangaur traditions.