To the Rat Temple and Bikaner - Thursday, January 24

When I went to breakfast this morning I realized the softly amplified chanting music I heard just before the mosque’s call to prayer...was coming from the speakers in the hotel garden! Also on a catching-up note, I don’t think I noted my one regret about our Udaipur schedule: there just was no way to fit in a 3-hour round trip to the hotel location for Best Exotic Marigold. Maybe next time.

On to today, starting with another little Mom-deposit (I’ve done a fine job of spreading out her ashes...but cetainly not following Hindu protocol). I figure she’d love the hotel garden with its view of the fort! Then into the car at 8:45 and on our way toward the desert. But first - here’s a photo of the hotel’s very attractive well-maintained tuk-tuk (guidebook calls it an auto-rickshaw). The more familiar versions of these little bugs cram the streets in every city and town, dirty and dented, packed with workers, school kids, or commercial loads. 

Here’s a mound of grass ready for passerby purchase for feeding to the cows. Here, they were gathered on both sides of the sales mat, but taking no initiative to get some on their own.

Heading out of Jodhpur at this hour gave us the opportunity to see people on their way to work using many styles of transport.

Jain men wear all white

We passed through a succession of villages, small towns, farmland, and scrub and by 10:30 we were in the city of Khimsar where we found an unusual herd for a city.

A great fort begun c. 600 years ago was turned into a heritage hotel property in the mid-80s. Coming through the now-familiar brown, dusty landscape and cityscape all the way here, we were unprepared for this. Lushly landscaped, with most buildings in now-familiar heavily-carved pinkish sandstone, it was a stunning oasis. It was a bit awkward asking for lunch at 10:30 a.m., and we weren’t really hungry. But we figured this was on the list because it was the only “nice” place between Jodhpur and Bikaner. The Reception man suggested we sit by the pool, as it was sunny. We were thankful, as we had left jackets in the now-disappeared car, and it was definitely chilly in the shade.

He led us a very very very long way to the large green space and handsome pool where we enjoyed the setting and a fine vegetable soup (though lukewarm by the time it got here from the distant kitchen). The charming server suggested a photo. Afterwards I couldn’t resist a silk scarf in the gift shop as a souvenir, and learned from a Canadian traveler there were only 9 guests last night in this gigantic place.

Back on the road north, then. When I saw these long driving stretches on our itinerary, I wondered about boredom. But every mile had its fascinations. In this stretch we found camels grazing and working, little Hindu temples plain and gaudy, brightly painted truck transports, schoolchildren, colorfully-dressed women working and shopping, awesome congestion in the towns.

Next stop, at 2 pm, the reason we’ve come this far north in Rajasthan: the Karni Mata Temple in Deshnok. With my fine experience killing rats in two Florida kitchens, it held on to my curiosity from the first time I read about it; Kenneth was kind not to veto. A local guide met us here. One of the planning decisions for the trip was whether to get a guide who’d join us for the whole journey, or just go with local guides everywhere. I’m pleased we made this choice, as I’ve appreciated the local pride and perspective from each. It also means we’ll have some whose English is easier to understand and some less. The man who came down from Bikaner started out by saying his accent was different and please to tell him when we didn’t understand. 

You may enjoy Googling Deshnok rat temple for more details on the place. What I understood from the guide was that Hindus here believe when they die their soul comes back in a rat and when the rat dies the soul comes back to a baby human, thus the reverence. He gave us good preparation for our visit, making sure we understand the rats are healthy. First stop: Leave our shoes with the shoe tender. Fortunately, we remembered to bring our Delta sox with us (and were happy to discard them at the end). Second: Stop at the entry to admire the beautifully carved white marble structure, built in the 1920s. Third: Go inside and look all around.

I realized how few Americans visit here when I was asked by two different clusters of young people if they could take our picture! I’m sure we were as curious to them as they were to us.

What a sight: thousands of rats, mostly in motion. Of course I know from personal experience that they prefer traveling along something solid, so it wasn’t as if they were randomly streaking across the large center chamber.  A large bowl of milk attracted an ever-changing crowd.

In an interior room we found a line of people waiting to enter the not-for-Europeans area in front of the images of the goddess (a long story about her). Young and old, male and female, couples and families. Inside the small room we could see a large bowl of fruits and sweets, helpers to accept the offerings, a large silver bell, a man in a further chamber keeping the goddess’ image clean. I asked one couple if I could take a picture of their offering. 

Heading back out, I snapped the interior of the entry arch. You can also see the netting that keeps the ubiquitous pigeons from competing with the rats for food. 

Some broken-open coconuts had appeared near the milk bowl, and I could see the rats love the fruit as much as I do.

Another half hour and we reached Bikaner, a trading center of c. 700,000 right on the edge of the Thar desert. A long route through city streets ended at the Laxmi Niwas hotel, built in 1902 by the Bikaner maharajah. OMG, what a place! Another total contrast to the world around it, with a peacock-themed stage set being erected for the upcoming camel festival in the park-like front acreage. The buildings include our hotel, another hotel, the private residence of the current maharajah, a soldiers garrison, and more.

Inside, all is marble, including the floor in our giant room. (The decorated ceiling must be 18’ up. Behind the sofa is a little space with two facing chairs and our own latticed view of the residence and court behind. I wonder if the interior was furnished at the time of Independence!)

Corridors are lined with old black and white photos depicting the founding maharajah at important English events, etc. Of course there’s a great central court space. And all around it on our floor are the marble-latticed seating areas for the women to look at all the fun the men were having down below. Gag.

We took off for a little exploration and were soon discovered by two charming employees eager to do a show-and-tell (and earn a tip). First stop: the Billiard Room with its astonishing collection of skins. A very memorable photo-opp! Next, the smoking room, now a dazzling conference room.

Then, up to the rooftop for grand views, and encouragement to return to see the sunset. It was pleasant, not memorable.

I crashed at 6:30 and was in deep sleep when the phone-alarm sounded for 7:30 dinner. Two chatty Swiss women were at the next table, an Indian family across the room, and two other tables were apparently American. In the next space, a group of 30 French tourists, and a buffet with Continental and Indian offerings. The one thing we liked was the cooked cabbage. Today we’re especially grateful we brought along peanut butter crackers, almond crunch bars, and dried fruit! And for once I didn’t mind purchasing from a mini-bar: nice cold Cokes.

In the courtyard musicians were playing - with that awful-to-my-ears whining-style singing we had also heard at the temple. After dinner I noticed chairs had been pulled up for people to settle in for more. Yikes!

I had been warned this hotel might have iffy internet connection. It turns out the connection is fine - but only in the little lobby. And when I went down there at my usual 3  a.m. to blog, it was dark. Oh well; I hope to move this to the internet before breakfast.