Rat Heaven

http://www.bestourism.com/items/di/732?title=Karni-Mata-Temple&b=124

In one very ornate and isolated Hindu temple in India, the worst nightmares of many city dwellers in the US are treated as gods by worshipping people, temple floors a living mass of small, brown shapes, as rats by the thousands scamper over the feet of visitors, searching out food and drink.

http://www.bestourism.com/items/di/732?title=Karni-Mata-Temple&b=124

Small north-western town, Deshnoke, is the site of this  famous Karni Mata temple of Rajastan, constructed over a century ago, by Maharaja Ganga Singh in tribute to rat goddess, Karni Mata, with intricate marble panels lining both entrance and floors,with lots of silver and gold decorations.

  http://www.lovethesepics.com/2011/04/holy-rats-karni-mata-rat-temple-32-pics/

The 20,000 plus rats are holy animals to the faithful, known as kabbas, to which people travel great distances to pay homage. Folklore tells that Karni Mata was a 14th century, mystic matriarch, an incarnation of goddess of power and victory, Durga. When a child of a clansmen died, she tried bringing it back to life.

  http://www.lovethesepics.com/2011/04/holy-rats-karni-mata-rat-temple-32-pics/

Yama, god of death, told Karni Mata that the child had already undergone reincarnation, but made a bargain with her, that from that point on, every member of her tribe would be reborn as a rat, until reincarnated into the tribe. Since the Hindu faith has it that death marks the end of one life chapter,  beginning a new one on the path to Karma, known as samsara, so the rats are royally treated.

  http://www.lovethesepics.com/2011/04/holy-rats-karni-mata-rat-temple-32-pics/

In Hinduism, no dividing line exists, between how gods or goddesses might present themselves on earth, there being nothing to prevent their appearing as fish, birds or even as rats. Hindu royalty seeking greater powers employ local cults for patron goddesses to help them achieve their ambitions, and thus the Karni Mata Temple was established.

  http://www.lovethesepics.com/2011/04/holy-rats-karni-mata-rat-temple-32-pics/

The ultimate blessing from the gods, which any westerner would grimace at, is the eating of food or drinking of water previously sampled by a rat, only the sighting of an albino rat being especially holy, as these at the living the manifestations of  the goddess and her family.

  http://www.lovethesepics.com/2011/04/holy-rats-karni-mata-rat-temple-32-pics/

In this unusual temple, the rodent inhabitants are treated with devotion so complete that if someone accidentally killing one is expected to replace it with another made of gold, or silver, as atonement, and placed reverently in the temple.

  http://www.lovethesepics.com/2011/04/holy-rats-karni-mata-rat-temple-32-pics/

Unbelievably to western viewpoints, in the entire 100+ years of this temple’s existence, not a single case of rat-borne disease has ever been recorded in a human contact. The fact that the rodents tend to die young, often adversely affected by the sumptuous diets they enjoy, can come as no surprise, but the complete devotion of the faithful, for this most obnoxious of creatures, almost certainly will. Royally-treated holy rats, who would ever have thought it possible?

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All images with permission