Rajasthan is actually a treasure trove of so many experiences, and you would know it once you visit here. Like that the city of Bikaner in Rajasthan also holds with itself so much to offer for its visitors. No matter if you are a history buff or an adventure enthusiast or a religious traveler, you will find a lot of things here. The Karni Mata Temple Bikaner is one such spot that is one of the sacred temples in Rajasthan. Every day a major chunk of devotees visit the Karni Mata Mandir Bikaner. This is one of the unique temples in Rajasthan also popular as the Rat Temple. You can check out the Karni Mata Temple Bikaner images and check out the grand architecture of this temple too. And it is extremely interesting to know about the legends and stories associated with the temple too.
Not only that, this temple is one of the powerful temples in Bikaner and people visit here to get the blessings of Karni Mata from all over the world. So if you are interested to know more about the Karni Mata Temple Bikaner, Rajasthan then keep on reading this article. In this article I will mention everything that you need to know to plan a trip to the Karni Mata Temple Bikaner.
Karni Mata Temple Bikaner
Location of Karni Mata Temple Bikaner: Karni Mata Niji Pranyas, Deshnok, NH 89, Bikaner, Rajasthan
Karni Mata Temple Bikaner timings:
The Karni Mata Temple Bikaner opening time is 4 am in the morning and remains open till 10 pm at night on all days of the week
Entry fee of Karni Mata Temple Bikaner: There is no entry fee
How to reach Karni Mata Temple Bikaner
By air
Rajasthan has three major airports, the Sanganer airport in Jaipur, and the Jodhpur airport and Dabok Airport in Udaipur. From the Sanganer Jaipur International Airport the distance of the Karni Mata Temple is about 374. 9 km. It would take about 6 hours to reach there by road. You can get cabs or you can hire a car to reach the Karni Mata Temple from there. The Maharana Pratap Airport in Udaipur is about 463 km away and takes around 8 hours to reach there. The Jodhpur Airport is the civil airport which is located 203 km away from the Karni Mata Temple. You can reach there in about 3 hours and 10 minutes by road.
By train
It is convenient to reach the Karni Mata Temple by train. The nearest railway station is the Bikaner Junction which is only 16 km away from the temple. You can take a bus or else you can also hire a car to reach the temple from the railway station.
By road
If you are travelling by train then travelling in a bus can be a cheaper option. Rajasthan is well connected to major cities like Delhi, Indore, Ahmedabad. You can easily take buses to travel to the Karni Mata Temple. Also if you are travelling within Rajasthan from locations like Udaipur, Jaipur, Ajmer, Chittrogarh you can take buses of Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation. Buses are regular and frequent on this route so it would not be much of a hassle.
Bus services are also available from Bikaner as well. That is a very convenient ride and would take around 30 minutes to reach the Temple from there. Regular buses ply from Bikaner to Desnoke. You can also take your own private vehicles or you can also hire a car or take a cab to reach here from nearby locations.
Best time to visit Karni Mata Temple Bikaner
To enjoy the temple and its divine opulence it would be ideal to visit here during the time of fair or festivals. That is the time when the majority of the devotees visit this temple. But also keep in mind that these times are when the temple is overcrowded as well. If you are trying to avoid that then you can also visit during regular times. Basically you can visit this temple all through the year. But the summer months are too harsh in Rajasthan. So that is not the ideal time for a visit in general. In terms of weather the winter months from October to February are the best months to explore the whole area well.
Overview of Karni Mata Temple
One of the most sacred temples in Rajasthan, the Karni Mata Temple Bikaner is located 30 km away from the main city of Bikaner. This is a temple where the main deity is Karni Mata and she is the reincarnation of Goddess Jagadamba. This temple is popular as the Temple of Rats as there are 20. 000 rats that reside in the temple itself. Here the black cats in the temple are important as the devotees considered them holy. They don’t bite or harm any person, instead the devotees here feed them and also worship them.
The devotees visit this temple to get blessings of Karni Mata and also to seek the blessings of the rats as well. The devotees believe that their desires will get fulfilled after a visit to this temple. Also the fact that so many rats reside in the temple attracts a huge number of devotees who are curious to visit the temple. That makes it one of the most visited temples in Rajasthan and Bikaner.
Read More: Junagarh Fort Bikaner, Photos, Timings, Ticket Price, Museum
Karni Mata Temple Bikaner History and Legends
The construction of this powerful temple of Karni Mata dates back to the 20th century. However what makes this temple more popular are the folklores attached to it. This temple is popular for the presence of 20, 000 black rats in the temple. These rats live in the temple and according to the devotees they are holy. The rats are called Kabbas and the devotees from all over the world visit here to pay respect to these rats.
According to local folklore, once Karni Mata’s step son Laxman went to the Kapil Sarovar in Kolayat Tehsil to drink water. But Laxman drowned in the water and lost his life. Upon knowing this Karni Mata prayed to the God of Death Yama and requested him to revive her son’s life. At first Yama refused this plea but later he relented and permitted reincarnation of her son Laxman and her other sons as well in the form of rats.
There is another legend regarding the temple that says that once an army of 20, 000 soldiers ran to Deshnok from a battlefield to save their own lives. When Karni Mata came to know about this she was not happy about it as it is a sin to run away from responsibility. She was furious and punished the soldiers with the death penalty. However later she spared their lives as her heart melted. Instead she turned them into rats. The soldiers also were happy and therefore to express their gratitude towards the Goddess promised that they will always serve Karni Mata at the temple.
What’s more?
Also you will find a few numbers of white rats here too, amongst the many black rats. And these white rats are considered more holy as it is believed that the white rats are Karni Mata and her sons themselves. So if you get to spot a white rat here then consider yourself lucky.
However there are some debates about the presence of rats in this temple as well. According to some, rats are the reasons for multiple diseases like plague, but as of now nothing has happened here. According to the devotees the rats are directly related to Karni Mata. Even the devotees feed the rats milk and offer Prasad too. Also when a rat dies in the temple then a replacement is done here with a silver rat.
Read More: Jaisalmer Fort Timings, Entry Fee, History, Ticket Price
Architecture of Karni Mata Temple
The temple construction dates back to the first half of the 20th century. Maharaja Gangadhar Singh Ji commissioned the construction of this temple here. You will notice a grand Mughal architectural style in this temple. In the front of the temple here there is a marble facade that looks striking. On it you will notice beautiful intricate carvings. It obviously reflects the brilliant architecture as well as the artistic brilliance of the artisans. Further the beauty of the façade gets enhanced with the presence of magnificent silver doors. On the doors you will find various legends that are associated with the Goddess. In the inner sanctum of the temple there is the idol of Karni Mata. The idol is 75 cm tall with a trident or Trishula in one hand. She has a crown and garlands on her.
In 1999 a Hyderabad based wealthy jeweler Kundanlal Verma had decorated this temple further and beautified it with more additions. He has also donated the splendid marble carvings and the silver rats in this temple.
Things to do in Karni Mata Temple
1. Try to attend the famous huge fair of the Karni Mata Temple that is held twice a year. It happens in the month of March or April during Navratri. And again it takes place in the month of September or October during the Navaratri.
2. Attend the Pooja rituals at the temple. You can attend the early morning Magal Aarti at 4 am in the morning.
3. Offer Prasad to the holy rats at the temple and seek their blessings.
4. Enjoy looking at the magnificent architecture of this grand temple.
5. There is a small in-house museum at this temple where you can know about the miracles of the Goddess through various images and postcards.
Other nearby tourist attractions near Karni Mata Temple
Temde Rai Mata Temple
Lalgarh Palace
Junagarh Fort
Bikaner Camel Research Centre
Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary
Devi Kund Sagar
Rampuria Haveli
Prachina Museum
Location Map
Wrapping Up!
So if you are ever visiting Rajasthan make sure you are paying a visit to this unique temple. The Karni Mata Temple Bikaner is a unique temple where many devotees visit with a lot of faith in their heart. Do check out the Karni Mata Temple Bikaner photos and I am sure you will feel like visiting this temple once. So let me know when you are planning a visit to this temple in Bikaner. Also let me know if this article is helpful for you in planning a visit to the Karni Mata Temple Bikaner, Rajasthan.
