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TRAVEL BLOG ENTRY
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I arrived in Bikaner at 5am on the overnight train from Jaisalmer. I had already booked a hotel room ahead and was picked up by the hotel staff. It was still dark when I arrived so I was grateful for the ride. It was so quiet at this early hour. I checked in and freshened up and had some brekkie. Then I went in search of an internet cafe and some information as I needed to work out how to get to punjab. The train wasn't really an option as it is very slow and takes the long way round to where I wanted to go. I wanted to see if there were any direct buses. After a lot of calling around and asking and trawling through transport pages on the internet I found there was no direct way and I would have to catch 3 buses, but it was still quicker than the train so I got the hotel staff to book the 1st bus ticket for me.
After sorting that I went to visit Junagarh fort. Another grand buildingin which the Maharaja resided. There was also amuseum inside with many artefacts and arms and photos and pictures. The decor was really good. The fort was built between 1587 and 1593 during the rule of Rai Singh, and embellished by later rulers, who added their own palatial suites, temples and plush courtyards. As I was coming to the end of my walk round the fort, amongst the exhibits were the inevitable weaponry and an unexpected World War I aeroplane, still in tip-top condition. I wanted to take a photo but it was huge and I couldn't get it all in and there were pillars in the way. It was amazing to see though.
After the fort I caught a local bus to Deshnok, which is approx 30km south. Here is the infamous Rat temple - Karni Mata temple. "Step inside the Italian marble arched doorway and within seconds you'll be accosted by teeming hordes of free-roaming holy rodents, known as kabas, who devotees believe are reincarnated souls saved from the wrath of Yama, the god of death. For newlyweds, the sick and other pilgrims, it's customary to eat prasad (blessed food from the main shrine) after it has been nibbled by the kabas and many spend hours hunting on their hands and knees for a glimpse of the auspicious white rat. It's also considered a blessing for a rat to run over your feet, but whatever you do don't step on one, or you'll have to donate a gold model of a rat to placate the deity".
I was a little scared to go inside the temple. The rats are free to roam around everwhere and there was rat poo everywhere. I had to take my shoes off to go in. The sun was shining on the marble and hurting my feet as it was so hot. I went in behind a family so I didn't have to be by myself. Luckily there were no rats in the way, they were all drinking milk or running round the sides. I took a photo of them drinking milk. Further ahead was where the rats were all clustered together, but there were too many people in the way for me to get a photo. The reason for the many people was because a white rat was present, which is a rare occurrence. It is considered to be lucky to see a white rat. I caught a glimpse of it. I didn't stay long. I said my prayers and left. I didn't accept the prasad.
I caught the bus back to Bikaner and went to get some lunch as I was quite hungry. The bus went close to my hotel and dropped me off nearby. I chatted to a girl from Belgium during lunch and then went to chill out. My bus was booked for the morning. I had a long journey tomorrow, it would take me all day to get to my family in Punjab.
previous travel blog entry
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