Held
twice in a year during Navratras in March-April and September-October
again, the Karni Mata fair is held at the shrine of Karni Mata in
Deshnok. The fair as the name suggests is dedicated to Karni Mata who is
a local deity of the people of Rajasthan. She lived in the fifteenth
century and spent her entire life in serving the mankind. It is believed
that she had supernatural powers. The rulers of Bikaner worship Karni
Mata as their patron deity and the people of Bikaner hold her in high
regard. She is also worshipped as a goddess by her principal followers
called charans. The bigger fair is organized in the months of March-April at the Karni Mata temple. The temple gates are thrown open to the devotees at 4.00 a.m. in the morning during the fair. The Karni Mata temple is also known as the Rat temple as rodents is found in large numbers here roaming freely in the vicinity of temple. In fact it is considered auspicious if a rat or two runs over your feet. The holy rodents are referred to as the Kabas; spotting a white kaba is believed to be quiet an uphill task and is believed to be propitious. The rodents hold immense importance as it is believed that when once, one of the children of Karni Mata died she brought him back in the form of a mouse. Many devotees can be seen here offering food to the kabas to seek their blessings.
During the Karni Mata Fair it is the Charan priests who proceed with the affairs of the fair by performing the Mangla-ki-Arti which is followed by a bhog to worship the deity. Being the patron deity of the royal house of Bikaner, the festival enjoys a royal touch with the royal family of Bikaner paying obeisance to the goddess during the fair. The Karni Mata Fair holds immense importance for the Rajasthani Hindus and they turn up here in large numbers during the Navratra days.