Karni Mata Temple
This temple is quite popular because of a unique
reason. Here about 20,000 rats reside and are said to be the helpers of the
Goddess. The history of the temple is also very interesting. Karni Mata was
once married off to Depa when she was already spending a lot of time in the
service of the poor. And after her marriage, she chose celibacy and requested
Depa to marry her younger sister Gulab. They got married and gave birth to four
children called Naga Lakhan Puna and Sititha. However, in an unfortunate
incident, Lakhan fell into a tank and drowned to his death when he was trying
to drink water. Grieved by his death, Kari Mata requested for his life back
from Yama, who is called the God of Death. Since Lakhan had also already taken
rebirth as a rat, Yama declined her request, yet promised her that all her
future descendants would be born as rats in her very own temple.
