Also known as the Temple of Rats, Karni Mata Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Karni Mata, a female Hindu warrior worshiped as the incarnation of the warrior goddess Hinglaj.
According to multiple sources, the temple completed in the 20th century is home to approximately 25,000 black rats
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Other than hosting the rats, the temple is also a tourist destination and draws faithfuls from across the country for blessings.
On why rats reside in the temple, it is said that Laxman, son of Karni Mata , drowned in a pond while attempting to drink from it.
As a result, Karni Mata immediately implored Yama, the god of death, to revive him permitting Laxman and all of Karni Mata’s male children to be reincarnated as rats.
It is also said that eating food that has been nibbled by the rats is considered to be a “high honour”.
In the temple, there are a few white rats which are considered to be holy and believed to be the manifestations of Karni Mata and her four sons.
It is also believe that sighting them is a special blessing.
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Because of its revered rat population, the temple was featured in the 2016 documentary film Rats, directed by Morgan Spurlock.
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