Thirty miles south of Bikaner, in a tiny town called Deshnoke, you'll find what can only be described as spiritual fear factor. At the Karni Mata Temple, built by Maharaja Ganga Singh in the early 20th century, rats rule -- in their hundreds. Worshipers come to pay their respects to Karni Mata, a mystic who is considered an incarnation of Durga. When Mata's marriage dissolved, when she was 27, she devoted her life to service of the poor (it was not fun to become a widow in 15th century India). The rats (also called kabas) reside here and receive homage (and so much sugary white candies that they have developed diabetes) as their bodies are believed to house the souls of Karni Mata's departed devotees and it is believed that they will reincarnate and return as priests. My advice: Bring a pair of socks you won't be sorry to part with when it's all over.
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