Explained: Story of ‘rat temple' near Bikaner, visited by PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (May 24) visited the Karni Mata temple in Deshnok, a small town about 30 km from Bikaner, Rajasthan. Dubbed the 'rat temple', this historical place of worship is famous for being the home to tens of thousands of kabas (rats), which are considered sacred and protected.
Karni Mata, also known as Ridhi Kanwar or Ridhu Bai, is believed to have been a 14th–15th sage, and an incarnation of Goddess Durga. She is said to have been born in 1387 CE in the village of Suwap near Phalodi, about 100 km from Deshnok, into a Charan family. (Traditionally, Charans are bards, or court poets and genealogists.)
It is said that Ridhi Kanwar was in her mother's womb for 21 months, and her coming was foretold by Goddess Durga herself, who appeared in her mother's dreams. Upon performing many miracles while growing up, Ridhi Kanwar was given the name Karni Mata.
Historical details of Karni Mata's life are scant, and much of what is known about her comes from oral tradition and hagiographies, such as the Karni Mata Charitra, which portray her as a spiritual leader who performed miracles and supported rulers including Rao Jodha, the founder of Jodhpur, and Rao Bika ji, the founder of Bikaner.
It is said that both Jodhpur and Bikaner were established in 1459 and 1488, respectively, with Karni Mata's blessings. Her followers say she lived for 151 years, before her 'ascension' in 1538 AD.
The present structure of the Karni Mata Temple was commissioned in the early 20th century by Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner.
'Karni Mata represents a blend of folk sainthood and goddess worship unique to western Rajasthan,' notes Prof Lindsey Harlan, in Religion and Rajput Women: The Ethic of Protection in Contemporary Narratives (University of California Press, 1992).
Charans consider Karni Mata as not just a goddess but also as their kuldevi (tutelary deity). The priests at the Karni Mata temple have traditionally been Charans, who trace their lineage to her family. The community maintains custodianship of the temple.
'For the Charans, Karni Mata is not only divine but a blood relation, which reinforces their caste identity and social authority in the region' wrote Prof Ann Grodzins Gold, in Fruitful Journeys: The Ways of Rajasthani Pilgrims (University of California Press, 1988).
Karni Mata is also deeply venerated by Rathore Rajputs, the dominant warrior caste in the region. Her blessings to Rao Jodha and Rao Bika, both Rathore kings, leads to many many Rajput clans in Rajasthan considering her their royal protector and family deity. 'The Karni Mata cult reflects the intertwining of folk sainthood with the political legitimisation of early Rajput kingdoms,' noted Prof Harlan.
The first Karni Sena, the Shri Rajput Karni Sena (SRKS) which was created in 2006, derives its name from Karni Mata.
Karni Mata is also worshipped by other castes, including the Meghwals and Malis. Her reputation as a just, miracle-working saint who protected her people transcends caste, and her temple offers equal access to devotees.
Locally known as kabas, rats are believed to be incarnations of Karni Mata's family members.
Legend has it that when her stepson Laxman, also known as Lakhan, drowned, Karni Mata asked Yama, the god of death, to revive him. Yama relented and allowed him and other members of her lineage to be reborn as rats, avoiding the cycle of death and rebirth.
Other legends say that when Yamaraj said he was unable to do so, Karni Mata herself revived Lakhan and decreed that her family members would no longer die but be re-incarnated as rats. Hundreds of families living near the temple claim to be descendants of Karni Mata.
This belief has transformed the rodents into holy beings: rats are considered to be Karni Mata's descendants, who will then take birth as humans, and then again as rats again in the temple, and so on.
There are more beliefs surrounding the rats, one being that despite the presence of a large number of rats, there have been no diseases or infection; that their numbers have mostly stayed the same over the centuries; that there is no foul smell when they die; and that they don't leave the temple premises.
The prasad touched by the rats is also considered sacred and followers say that it holds the power to cure ailments. Moreover, spotting a white rat is considered auspicious.
The temple holds immense significance for the armed forces in the district bordering Pakistan. That said, the temple's association with the armed forces dates back to the pre-Independence era, long before Pakistan was on the map.
Col Mahendra Singh Chandel (retd), recipient of Vishisht Seva Medal, said: 'Karni Mata has been a deity of the erstwhile Bikaner state's armed forces: the Karni Battalion, Sadul Infantry, Dungar Lancers, Vijay Battery and the Ganga Risala.
Of these, the Sadul Infantry and Karni Battalion were converted into the 19 Rajput Battalion, which is still sometimes known as 19 Rajput Karni Battalion. Similarly, the Vijay Battery was merged into 41 Field Regiment Artillery and is still sometimes known as 41 Field Karni Regiment.'
As part of the tradition, the Commanding Officers of the 19 Rajput Battalion visit the temple whenever they take over. And, during navratra, two non-commissioned officers (NCOs) are sent to the temple to make special offerings on behalf of the Battalion.
Karni Mata is seen as a symbol of divine feminine power and is invoked for courage, protection and success, particularly by soldiers with Rajasthani roots. It is common for serving soldiers from the region to visit the temple in uniform, offer prayers, and seek blessings before joining field duty or deployment.
'Military reverence for Karni Mata reflects the traditional martial values of Rajputana, where deities are protectors and guardians in both spiritual and battlefield realms,' said Col R S Rathore (retd), in an interview published in the Journal of Indian Military History, 2015.
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