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Published: February 27th 2006
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On the last day of the year, we visited three temples around Bikaner.
The first day, we visited a busy Vishnu temple in Bikaner. The approach was lined with beggars waiting patiently with their bowls for visitors to offer them coin and food on their way out. There was a parking lot for this temple, if you can believe it. We hid our money in our clothes and removed our shoes and cameras. We were still wearing our socks to cross the gravelly parking area to the white stone steps of the temple, where many worshippers were to be seen that morning. One man yelled us for wearing socks, so we quickly removed them. I followed all the actions of Hukam (our driver), from putting a hand to the steps and then to my forehead, to ringing a bell. I didn't want to make anyone angry, because some people already seemed upset that we were there at all. I didn't see much, keeping my head down respectfully and trying to keep up with the foreign religious traditions in the midst of the chaotic scene of people pushing and shoving through the temple. It was humbling, in a way, not to be welcome.
Next, we visited one of the only Jain temples that is painted rather than carved. It is remarkable for these colorful paintings that depict moral lessons, as well as for its greasy floors. The legend goes that the temple was made of butter, and one can still feel it seeping through the rock. The old Jain priest, whose family has been in the Jain priest business for as long as he can remember, showed us around the temple. He pointed to each painting and described them. For example, I learned about many sins, including the sin of homosexuality! We were able to climb to the top of the temple and had a wonderful view of Bikaner.
Later that day, we stopped in Deshnoke to see another very famous temple, the 8th wonder of the world - Karni Mata - the rat temple. You can even visit them online at http://www.karnimata.com, as their sign informed us. I highly recommend the site as it is very amusing and even somewhat inspirational. The rats - which devotees believe are not rats but ratherspirits of a family reincarnated as rats rather than spending time in the arms of Yama, the god of death - live happily in the temple being fed milk and honey by numerous attendant priests. There is one white
kaba (the term for these divine rodents), and it is extremely lucky to see him. I thought I would be scared, but I even walked barefoot through the temple, not minding what I might be stepping in or on. Of course, I had to be careful not to tread on a holy rat, but they were careful to stay out of my way and vice versa. One rat did run over Allison's foot, a very lucky thing. I did pet a rat at Karni Mata, one that was feeding from a golden bowl of sweetened milk. After traversing the temple, we waited at one area where the priests were preparing giants vats of food. Hukam said we were sure to see the white rat there, as he had a feeling about it. Then, we did - the fat white kaba made an appearance long enough for Alli to get a picture. Hukam bought a little statue for the car to celebrate the occasion and this good luck did follow us throughout our trip.
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