In Deshnoke, India, which is near Bikaner by the border to Pakistan, there's a temple devoted to the worship of the rat.  It seems that these rats will be born in the next life as sadhus, or Hindu holy men. So hundreds of thousands of them teem together--and stink together--throughout the temple. And, of course, since it's holy, all visitors must remove their shoes to enter. The rats are fed milk and meal, which pilgrims drink and eat afterward. It's considered a blessing to eat food drenched with rat saliva. It's also considered lucky to spot a white rat here--and I did. The guy with me is actually one of the priests.  Not what you'd expect from a rodent cleric, is it?   Back to the main page Back to the World Tour page   © 1999 P. Jason Cochran