9. THE KARNI MATA FAIR

THE KARNI MATA FAIR IS HELD IN DESHNOK IN BIKANER, RAJASTHAN. IT IS HELD TWICE EVERY YEAR IN THE HONOR OF KARNI MATA WHO IS HAILED AS GODDESS BY THE PEOPLE OF RAJASTHAN. THE KARNI MATA FAIR HELD DURING THE MONTHS OF MARCH-APRIL AND SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER. IT IS HELD IN THE KARNI MATA TEMPLE, WHICH IS A FAMOUS TOURIST ATTRACTION OF RAJASTHAN. VISITORS THRONG THE TEMPLE DURING THE FAIR AND SEEK THE BLESSINGS OF KARNI MATA. SHE IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE DEITY WORSHIPPED BY THE RULERS OF BIKANER. READ ON ABOUT THE FAMOUS KARNI MATA FAIR OF RAJASTHAN.

KARNI MATA WAS A WANDERING ASCETIC WHO WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE SUPERNATURAL POWERS. SHE LAID THE FOUNDATION OF DESHNOK AND HAS BEEN WORSHIPPED AS A DEITY BY THE RULERS OF BIKANER. IT IS SAID THAT KARNI MATA PERFORMED MANY MIRACLES FOR HELPING THE POOR AND THE DOWNTRODDEN. SHE RESTORED EYESIGHT FOR THE BLIND AND HELPED MANY PEOPLE IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. PEOPLE WHO HAVE TRIED TO HARM HER HAVE ONLY MET WITH ILL LUCK LIKE GETTING THEIR ARM BROKEN OR BITTEN BY A SNAKE. THE KARNI MATA FAIR IS HELD IN HER HONOR AND IS THRONGED BY THOUSANDS WHO COME HERE TO SEEK THE BLESSINGS OF KARNI MATA.

THE KARNI MATA TEMPLE IS CONSTRUCTED WITH MARBLE AND STONE AND THE 75 CM BIG IMAGE OF THE DEITY IS MADE OUT OF YELLOW MARBLE. THE STATUE IS BEAUTIFULLY DECORATED WITH A CROWN AND IS ADORNED WITH JEWELLERY AND GARLANDS. THE RAJPUTS BRING THEIR CHILDREN HERE FOR THEIR FIRST HAIR CUT, AS IT IS CONSIDERED TO BE VERY AUSPICIOUS. THE MOST UNIQUE ASPECT OF THIS TEMPLE IS THE SCORES OF BROWN RATS THAT ARE FOUND WANDERING HERE FEARLESSLY. THEY ARE CONSIDERED TO BE VERY AUSPICIOUS AND ARE WORSHIPPED BY THE DEVOTEES. IT IS SAID THAT IF YOU SPOT A WHITE RAT AMONGST THE BROWN RATS, IT IS A SIGN OF VERY GOOD OMEN.

LOCATION: DESHNOK IN BIKANER

SIGNIFICANCE: DEDICATED TO KARNI MATA, HIGHLY RESPECTED IN RAJASTHAN

BEST TIME TO VISIT: MARCH - APRIL AND OCTOBER - MARCH

HOW TO REACH: KARNI MATA CAN BE REACHED EASILY FROM BIKANER AIRPORT AND BIKANER RAILWAY STATION. IT IS CONNECTED ALL MAJOR PLACES BY A WIDE NETWORK OF ROADS.