at first glance this temple in northern
India looks like any other pilgrims come
here to pray to the saint and goddess
karni mata but this temple also houses
other deities rats they run rampant in
the courtyards spill out of doors tumble
down stairs scurry around corners and
there’s not one not two but over 15,000
of them inside
welcome to the rat temple buddy I’ll bet
he showed up we consider the rats as a
form of the goddess we worship them
juh – dan is a priest of the karni mata
temple in the village of – NOK near Beca
NER it’s his job to look after the rats
but he doesn’t just serve them he also
drinks eats and sleeps with them juh –
dan believes they are his ancestors
reborn as rats some are my father’s my
grandfather’s my whole family is here
when they die they’re born as rats when
a rat dies it’s born as us humans that
might seem preposterous to many in the
West but people here believe in
reincarnation
juh – dan and his clan are descendants
of the goddess they believe it’s a
special gift to be born and reborn in
her tribe under her care maka it is the
order of the mother goddess while we
live we’ll live here and when we die
will become rest
so sacred are these rats that they’re
treated like celebrities everyday
busloads of tourists arrived at the
temple but to get in they’re required to
do something that makes many shudder
they must remove their shoes and go
barefoot the rule prevents people from
squishing the rats but it makes for a
sticky experience the floors are
littered with rat excrement and there’s
just one man scooping up after the gods
all over the temple visitors are taking
chances they wouldn’t normally dare and
children are allowed to do things people
elsewhere would find horrific miracle
end to it he fed the right with his
hands he doesn’t get scared the rats
here don’t do anything that’s the
special thing about this place the rats
are harmless but outside this temple
when it comes to rats there’s always
fear the fear of disease rats can infect
humans with over 20 kinds of illnesses
but even here there are risks involved
rats don’t have to bite to infect humans
fur food and skin are all open channels
and rats can urinate anywhere even on
people many like this family are testing
your courage and I didn’t want to come
inside I was so scared but he dragged me
here but getting dangerously close is
just part of the experience especially
if it leads you to God
priests chat Uddin and the other members
of his clan devote themselves to serving
the rats their belief in reincarnation
is so strong that they never treat them
as mere rodents clan members like Dave
Eden eat and drink with the rats and
break bread with the family he calls the
rats Chavez or little children and feeds
them first before eating himself in the
temples kitchen due to Dan’s wife is
preparing lunch the rats are the
official tasters so they can eat
everything out here sweets greens snacks
even green chilies if it likes it’s an
act that would shut down any restaurant
in the West but in this kitchen it’s a
sign of good fortune if they eat with us
we feel good if you stop them then the
mother goddess will get upset she’ll get
angry the rats are even free to lick the
plates for the devotees of karni mata
embracing the taboo is an act of faith
what’s important is not what these rats
look like to others it’s what their
worshipers see in them
India looks like any other pilgrims come
here to pray to the saint and goddess
karni mata but this temple also houses
other deities rats they run rampant in
the courtyards spill out of doors tumble
down stairs scurry around corners and
there’s not one not two but over 15,000
of them inside
welcome to the rat temple buddy I’ll bet
he showed up we consider the rats as a
form of the goddess we worship them
juh – dan is a priest of the karni mata
temple in the village of – NOK near Beca
NER it’s his job to look after the rats
but he doesn’t just serve them he also
drinks eats and sleeps with them juh –
dan believes they are his ancestors
reborn as rats some are my father’s my
grandfather’s my whole family is here
when they die they’re born as rats when
a rat dies it’s born as us humans that
might seem preposterous to many in the
West but people here believe in
reincarnation
juh – dan and his clan are descendants
of the goddess they believe it’s a
special gift to be born and reborn in
her tribe under her care maka it is the
order of the mother goddess while we
live we’ll live here and when we die
will become rest
so sacred are these rats that they’re
treated like celebrities everyday
busloads of tourists arrived at the
temple but to get in they’re required to
do something that makes many shudder
they must remove their shoes and go
barefoot the rule prevents people from
squishing the rats but it makes for a
sticky experience the floors are
littered with rat excrement and there’s
just one man scooping up after the gods
all over the temple visitors are taking
chances they wouldn’t normally dare and
children are allowed to do things people
elsewhere would find horrific miracle
end to it he fed the right with his
hands he doesn’t get scared the rats
here don’t do anything that’s the
special thing about this place the rats
are harmless but outside this temple
when it comes to rats there’s always
fear the fear of disease rats can infect
humans with over 20 kinds of illnesses
but even here there are risks involved
rats don’t have to bite to infect humans
fur food and skin are all open channels
and rats can urinate anywhere even on
people many like this family are testing
your courage and I didn’t want to come
inside I was so scared but he dragged me
here but getting dangerously close is
just part of the experience especially
if it leads you to God
priests chat Uddin and the other members
of his clan devote themselves to serving
the rats their belief in reincarnation
is so strong that they never treat them
as mere rodents clan members like Dave
Eden eat and drink with the rats and
break bread with the family he calls the
rats Chavez or little children and feeds
them first before eating himself in the
temples kitchen due to Dan’s wife is
preparing lunch the rats are the
official tasters so they can eat
everything out here sweets greens snacks
even green chilies if it likes it’s an
act that would shut down any restaurant
in the West but in this kitchen it’s a
sign of good fortune if they eat with us
we feel good if you stop them then the
mother goddess will get upset she’ll get
angry the rats are even free to lick the
plates for the devotees of karni mata
embracing the taboo is an act of faith
what’s important is not what these rats
look like to others it’s what their
worshipers see in them
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