Rat Paradise

Not far from the Indian city Bikaner (Rajastan), in a small village of Check, there is an incredible place – the Karny Mata temple, in which 20,000 rats live.

To rats attitude in India special. The hosts of houses, shops, shops and hotels are not risen from them, and when they see a rodent, running past a table with guests, only shrugs and smile.

Get rid of rats impossible. Antisanitaria plays a huge role in this, and in addition, in India there were almost all poisonous snakes, in order to reduce mortality from their bite. However, as we know, if you intervene in the affairs of nature, the whole system fails. Without snake, the rat began to feel even rampant, well, people have come and live with them side by side. In some homes, the hosts even leave delicacies for small inhabitants of their homes in the form of pieces of cookies or bowls with milk.

However, such a huge number of rodents in the temple of the chup is another reason. It costs a whole legend that exalts rodents to rank of spiritual creatures.

From the bikaner to the temple, a bus stuffed with pilgrims. They go with all of India to look at the temple and ask for themselves and their native blessings in rodents. I was driving with them to capture this action. On the road, he represented his reaction to the crowds of these unpleasant creatures running somewhere under his feet. With rats in India come across every day – Once I met Rodent in the room of my hotel. However, 20,000 individuals in one place is quite another matter.

The bus stopped on the square, full of benches, in which Prasad is sold – the sacred treat for rodents. The big white temple was conquered right in the center.

The church of rats was built more than 600 years ago in honor of the goddess Durga. Durga is one of the most respected goddesses in Hinduism, she has a huge number of followers. The militant goddess is designed to restore order in the world by fighting poverty and suffering.

Unlike many mythical deities in Hinduism, the goddess of Durga as a result of one of the earthly reincarnations was embodied in the body of a girl named Karni Mata. The girl was born in 1387 in the Sunny State of Rajasthan, in the village of Suva. Appearing on the light, immediately pelvized the words of justice. Carni Mata lived for a very long time, creating good almost a half century. Defended the poor and offended, side by side with their followers bypassing all of India. Once it happened trouble – one of the four steyings of Carni Mat drowned in a sacred lake. The woman appealed to the God of the death of the pit, begging to bring her child to her, but the pit did not annoy her prayers. Carni Mata accepted and defended all his descendants to life after death in the Child Cups, thus eliminating them from the kingdom of the pit.

Over time, a temple was built, designed for asylum of all followers of carni mats, reborn after death in the body of gray tailed creatures. These are their ancestors, wounded from death in God’s dwelling. And these are children of children that someday will be on the light. For in an endless circle of transformations, members of families with the names of Deppavat are confident, destined, once died, return to the world of the rat, and died again, appear to the world.

I did not even notice how the reborn went through my foot, and then alive in the panta, trying to boil my shoulder

Before entering the barefoot people, in their hands carry flowers, sweets, gifts for the goddess and reborn, looking over the shoulder to each other with excitement in the eyes. Seeing all this, I once again understood how the Western world is different from the East. As far as spirituality can be higher than the material, and the relationship with traditions and legends is stronger than squeezing.

Inside the temple is an incredibly easy atmosphere, and I did not even notice how the reborn I ran on my leg, and then at all passions on my panta, trying to scribble on my shoulder.

Everything is arranged for rats. Several dozen people without a break are preparing food in a special utility room. They feed on the same boiler themselves, and cooks do not bother at all that animals run right on the flour for pellets. For rats, large chains with milk and water are taken out several times a day. However, the reborn will not be hungry, because pilgrims carry sweets for them in countless quantities.

To facilitate the movement of the inhabitants of the temple of its floor and the walls are made by man-made tunnels, where the reborn is hiding in the midday heat. Carnishes from their shelters "Children" Carni Maty closer to 4-5 o’clock in the evening, begin to actively run, playing with each other, not at all afraid of people, because they are full-fledged owners.

For the safety of "hosts" at the height of the meters of seven in the temple, grids are stretched, which are designed to protect rats from their sworn enemies – feathery. Also in the temple constantly maintain cleanliness. Well, or at least try to do it. It is pretty problematic, given the livestock, however, when the pilgrim will need to kneel in the heat of prayer, he will not see the dirty floor. For maintenance of the order, the hazardous, living and working at the temple correspond to. Women disassemble pilgrims (sari, prasad, alcohol) every day. Especially their quantity increases after the Aarti evening ceremony, during which pilgrims get a blessing from water and fire from the altar. Full suite, in one word.

The temple is full of people all day: Mothers introduce the rats of children, the crowd is trying to catch the wonderful rat of Albino, to see a great luck, because it bears blessing by year. Women of Rajastan in traditional red and yellow sari of indescribable beauty pray carnie mate about female happiness – children. But there is a bride with the bride. They just concluded the Union and came here for the blessing. I remembered the Western tradition to drink champagne after the wedding on the embankments or in the parks and laughed.

All in the temple breathed antiquity, spirituality and meaning. Rodents stopped being rodents. People moved with them in a single rhythm. All – living creatures, respecting each other. Reincarnation in the rat seemed no longer so dreary.

Read also review "My Planet" about other places where there lives a lot of animals, "Ghetto for animals".