Bikaner has yet another fort. It's incredible that so many waves of Afghan and Persian invaders fought over these barren lands for millennia. They guard valuable trade routes and these cities in Rajasthan have grown fabulously wealthy by controlling them. Their entire history is centered around the magnificent forts and the art that flourished within the stone walls. They also developed a very bizarre sense of honor that hid their women away and allowed sati. I just wonder how they managed to squeeze enough food out of these deserts.
The reason I came to Bikenar was because it is close to the village of Deshnok, the home of Deshnok Devi Mandir, the Rat Temple. The temple is devoted to Karni Mata, a 14th century priestess who could reportedly bring the dead back to life. She was asked o resurrect a child of the musician caste and unsuccessfully interceded on the family's behalf with the God of Death. Knowing that only rats are outside the dominion of Yama she proclaimed that all people of that caste would be reborn as rats.
The temple is a sanctuary for rats. They run fat and free all over the ground in swarms. People feed the rats sweets and milk and obtain their blessing by eating the offering that the rats nibbled on.
It was just about one of the most revolting sites I've ever seen. I went with the expectation of being creeped out and actually expected even more rat. I imagined a sea of rats that scamper all over your feet but you can step around them. But they are still rats and they are filth and their corpses are everywhere.
The reason I came to Bikenar was because it is close to the village of Deshnok, the home of Deshnok Devi Mandir, the Rat Temple. The temple is devoted to Karni Mata, a 14th century priestess who could reportedly bring the dead back to life. She was asked o resurrect a child of the musician caste and unsuccessfully interceded on the family's behalf with the God of Death. Knowing that only rats are outside the dominion of Yama she proclaimed that all people of that caste would be reborn as rats.
The temple is a sanctuary for rats. They run fat and free all over the ground in swarms. People feed the rats sweets and milk and obtain their blessing by eating the offering that the rats nibbled on.
It was just about one of the most revolting sites I've ever seen. I went with the expectation of being creeped out and actually expected even more rat. I imagined a sea of rats that scamper all over your feet but you can step around them. But they are still rats and they are filth and their corpses are everywhere.
1 comment:
I could do without the rats, but the rest of the trip sounds amazing. I'm looking forward to stories when you get back!
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