Hindu name for this temple - "Karni Mata» (Karni Mata), but the rest of the world, he is better known as "Rat sanctuary" (or "Rat Temple») (Rat Temple). And as the name suggests, this place top to bottom scored food creatures with long tails bald, red eyes and razor-sharp teeth.
In the world there are many unusual attractions, but hardly a second - like a temple "Karni Mata", which after visiting all of your impressions will be reduced to one word - Rats.
"Rat Temple" really inhabit the hordes of rats, and this is no exaggeration - these gray creature there everywhere underfoot, on the walls, in the walls, and even over your head.
Temple "Karni Mata" was built on the money of the Maharaja Ganga Singh (Ganga Singh). The building was officially completed in the early 20th century. Blocking the entrance to the temple gate of pure silver were established in 1999 by means of a jeweler named Kundanlal Verma (Kundanlal Verma).
Rats sleep even blackened silver gate time.
Year after year, this temple is visited by believers from all over India (curiously, all their way they pass on foot), wishing to pay tribute to and pray to their god, as well as the ubiquitous tourists who come to gawk at the rats.
Is this unusual temple in the city Deshnok (Deshnoke), India. Rats are an integral part of this place, as they crawl inside the church and outside. In these places, rats revered as sacred animals, bringing happiness and good luck, so the locals consider it their duty to care for them and do everything to increase their population. The more rats, the more and good luck!
Karni Mata (years of life: October 2, 1387 - March 23, 1538) was a real person of the female sex, which was considered a sage and incarnation of the Hindu goddess Durga. And as you can guess, "Rat Sanctuary" was named in her honor.
Legend has it that Kari Mata asked Yama (Yama), the god of death, to resurrect the son of one of his novices. Yama refused, and Mata-house entered into the spirit of the boy, and with it, and the souls of all his followers in the body of rats, which had sworn to protect.
Who worship Durga people believe that after death is sure to be reincarnated as a rat and will live in the temple, "Kari Mats," so refer to these animals as equals in life take care of them as they can.
Goddess Durga ordered that every belongs to the temple must touch the ground with bare feet. Ie when entering a "rat kingdom", you will be required to remove their shoes and pray to Durga to you not bitten. Although, if you are not a true believer, you will be allowed to enter the temple in a shoe covers.
It is believed that if, in the temple, "Karni Mata", you will notice a multitude of black rats white, then you descend the blessing of the Durga and you will get a portion of grace, from which he can not "wash" to the end of his days. < br />
Rats love to his temple, still, there they are fed daily bread and watered milk. They say that only because of the rats' Karni Mata "enjoys a wide popularity among tourists, extreme, due to the majority of whom live nearby cities. If there are no rats, then disappear and tourists, so the locals are constantly fed and pampered in every way these disgusting animals.
"For locals and tourists rat - something like pigeons, very lazy and snickering. Believers honor them and constantly fed, so everything is very well-fed rats and reluctantly crawl when you toss them peanuts or sun-dried cheese, bread, they do not underway and only contemptuously turn up their faces "- talks about his visit to the temple" Karni Mata "tourist from the United States.
Indeed, the rat temple "Karni Mata" utterly pampered and therefore have a very soft and sweet temper - they are completely non-aggressive: during the existence of the temple has not been a single case of an attack on the human rat.
Who really not welcome in the "Rat Sanctuary" because it cats, which the locals simply destroy, they say that any pussy, approached the sanctuary closer than one kilometer will be immediately iznichtozhit.
To sacred animals do not burst pigeons and the like winged creatures, over the territory of the temple stretched mesh through which will not be able to sneak none bat creature.
If you still dare to visit this terrible place, you should know that rats there rightful owners and killing one, you have to pay for her death gold per one rat - 9 dollars 25 cents, otherwise you will be cursed and say goodbye with his good fortune. And pray to Durga novices did not consider you for a cat and not arranged over you "Lynching" directly into the sanctuary.
In memory of this wonderful place, you can buy from local merchants souvenir in the form of plush mouse or just quietly push one of the novices Durga in his pocket (such as that, let them bring you good luck) - Output You will not be searched. < br />