Karni Mata Fair Is Held Twice A Year At Deshnoke In Bikaner Rajasthan. It Is Famous For The Large Number Of Rats Found At The Temple.
Location: Deshnok, Nokha in Bikaner, Rajasthan
When: Twice A Year, March To April And October To November
Rajasthan - Bikaner - Deshnoke
Karni Mata fair is held to commemorate Karni Mata, considered to be a Goddess by the people of Rajasthan and believed to be the deity of erstwhile rulers of Bikaner. The temple of the Goddess is made of stone and marble
The temple is opened for the public at 4.00 a.m. Charan priests perform Mangla-Ki-Aarti and offer bhog (special food) as worship. This temple is known for the large number of brown rats inhabiting it. They are considered auspicious and are completely harmless. The sighting of a white rat is believed to be very auspicious.
The devotees make two kinds of offerings, the 'dwar-bhent' given to the priests
and the workers and the 'kalash-bhent' utilised for the temple maintenance
and development.
Reaching The Fair
Karni Mata is easily accessible by air from
Bikaner airport, by rail from Bikaner railway station and is connected
to all major places by a wide network of roads.