6. DESHNOK

DESHNOK IS A SMALL VILLAGE SITUATED 32 KM SOUTH FROM BIKANER CITY. IT IS CONNECTED BY NATIONAL HIGHWAY AND RAIL.

THIS 600 YEAR OLD TEMPLE IS DEDICATED TO KARNI MATA, A FAMOUS MYSTIC OF HER TIMES, BELIEVED TO BE AN INCARNATION OF GODDESS DURGA. LEGEND HAS IT, THAT SHE FORETOLD THE VICTORY OF RAO BIKA. HERE, RATS ARE CONSIDERED HOLY, OWING TO THE BELIEF, THAT THE SOULS OF THE DEVOTEES OF THE MATA, ARE RESIDENT IN THESE RATS AND, CONSEQUENTLY, THEY MUST BE LOOKED AFTER. THE HUGE SILVER GATES TO THE TEMPLE, AND THE MARBLE CARVINGS WERE DONATED BY MAHARAJA GANGA SINGH.

THE HOLY LAND OF DESHNOK WAS FORMED BY TAKING THE CORNER PLOTS OF TEN NEAR BY VILLAGES ABOUT 387 YEARS AGO (AS PER ENGLISH CALENDER). AT THE TIME LOCAL PEOPLE USED TO CALL IT AS DUS-NOK. AS THE TIME CHANGED IT HAS BEEN CONVERTED INTO DESHNOK.

THE GREATEST ATTRACTION OF DESHNOK IS THE TEMPLE OF SHRI KARNIMATA. PEOPLE FROM FAR AND WIDE COME TO PAY RELIGIOUS TRIBUTE TO SHRI KARNI MATA. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THERE’S AN INFLUX OF PILGRIMS. OUTSIDE RAJASTHAN, PLACES LIKE GUJRAT, MADHYA PRADESH, HARYANA ARE AREAS WHERE MATA IS GREATLY RESPECTED AND LOVED. DURING THE TIME OF NAVRATRI THOUSANDS FLOCK TO MATA’S TEMPLE ON FOOT. INNUMERABLE PEOPLE COME ON FOOT FROM NEARBY PLACES LIKE BIKANER, CHURU, HANUMANGARH, SHRIGANGANAGAR AND NAGOR. MATA’S ENIGMA ATTRACTS PILGRIMS FROM ALL OVER. IT IS BECOMING ONE OF THE HOLIEST AND MOST FAITHFUL PLACES IN INDIA. SHE IS NOT SOME SUPERIOR FORCE STANDING AND WATCHING, INSTEAD SHE STAYS EVER READY TO HELP HER DISCIPLES IN WHATEVER WAY SHE CAN.

THIS MIRACULOUS TEMPLE IS LOOKED AFTER BY A SPECIAL CASTE CALLED “CHARAN”

THE CHARANS ARE THE REAL HEIRS OF SHRI KARNI-MATA SINCE LAST 500 YEARS. SRI KARNI-MATA WAS MARRIED TO DEPAJI IN THE YEAR 1401(AS PER ENGLISH (CALENDER). HER MOTHER’S NAME WAS DEWAL BAI AND FATHER’S NAME WAS MEHA JI. SHE WAS BORN IN A VERY ORDINARY FAMILY. SINCE SHE WAS THE REINCARNATION OF DURGA, SO SHRI KARNIMA ADVISED HER HUSBAND TO MARRY GULAB BAI HER YOUNGER SISTER, TO GIVE HIM A HEIR. DEPA JI AND GULAB BAI HAD FOUR SONS NAMING NAGA, PUNA, SHITHA AND LAKHAN. THEY BECAME THE ACTUAL HEIR OF KARNI MA.

THE FIRST FOUNDATION STONE OF JODHPUR FORT IN 1515 (AS PER HINDI CALENDER) WAS KEPT BY SRI KARNI MATA HERSELF.

IN DESHNOK THERE IS ALSO THE GREAT SHRI KARNI MUSEUM (OPPOSITE THE TEMPLE). IT IS A BIG HALL 52 X 36 FEET. A BEAUTIFULMARBLE FLOOR TO WALK ON, BIG AND BEAUTIFUL PAINTIGS ADORN THE WALLS FOR THE PLEASURE OF THE TOURISTS. THERE ARE 22 ANTIQUE PAINTINGS DEPICTING MATA AND HER LIFE. IT IS OPEN TO VISITORS FROM EARLY MORNING TILL THE EVENING.