Karni Mata Temple
Bikaner district, India
Open to visitors
The interior is normally open, possibly ticketed.
Strollie cannot guarantee access — always check before you travel.
Find out more
Located 30 kilometers south of Bikaner in Rajasthan, the Karni Mata Temple of Deshnoke is a prominent Hindu shrine dedicated to the goddess Karni Mata, whose worship tradition originated with the temple's founding around 1530, following her mahaprayan. Built in the Mughal architectural style, the temple began as a modest domed inner sanctum and expanded over the centuries through successive additions by devotees. Today it ranks as the most significant pilgrimage destination for followers of Charani sagatis, a status it assumed after access to the Hinglaj shrine became restricted following India's partition. The temple has achieved international renown as the "Temple of Rats," named for the thousands of sacred rodents—known as kābā—that inhabit the shrine and are venerated and cared for by devotees, a practice often cited as exemplifying Hindu ecological consciousness. The site draws pilgrims seeking blessings and tourists intrigued by its unique spiritual traditions.
Movement
- Type
- Hindu temple
- Place
- Bikaner district, India
This building on
Architecturally similar
Somnath templeVeraval, India
Kallil TempleErnakulam district, India
Kasi Viswanathar temple, TenkasiTenkasi district, India
Durga Mandir, VaranasiVaranasi district, India
Papanasanathar TempleTamil Nadu, India
Tigawa TempleKatni district, India
Tirunallar Saniswaran TempleKaraikal district, India
Location