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