7 Unusual Festivals in India

Bangalore: India is a land known for festivals and these splendorous movements add colors to the rich Indian heritage. Indians welcome the seasons with festivals and celebrate harvests, full moon, rain, various religious occasions, remembrance of various gurus, saints etc, everything is a celebration and festivals are never too rare in the country. When festivals are so common in the country, a few among them stand out and are really unusual by the way they are celebrated.

Karni Mata Festival

This festival is celebrated twice a year in honor of Godness Karni Mata, the tutelary deity of the Bikaner royal house. The fair happens in the little desert citadel of Deshnoke, Bikaner in Rajasthan. The 600 year-old Karni Mata temple is home to thousands of rats that are considered sacred and are offered food and protection. The famous temple is devoted to an ancient mystic who is believed to be the reincarnation of the Goddess Durga and the most interesting factor is that the souls of Karni Mata's devotees are said to reside in the rats. Thousands of devotees flock at  Deshnoke during the time of Navratras, in April/May and October/November and the celebration is on the on the ninth day of Navratras. Believers offer food to the deity and among continuous chants of hymns and prayers, pujas are performed. The believers consider its auspicious to consume what the holy rats have salivated over and letting them scamper over your feet is believed to bring good luck.