At a glance
- Kuldevi of Bikaner: according to tradition, Rao Bika won her blessing before he took the throne, and since then she has been the kuldevi of Bikaner's Rathore rulers.
- Kaba: the rats of her temple are called kaba; killing or catching them is forbidden, and seeing a white one is thought lucky.
- According to tradition, she laid the foundation stones of Mehrangarh (Jodhpur) and of the Bikaner fort.
Facts
| Born | Vikram Samvat 1444, Ashvin Shukla Saptami (20 September 1387 CE), at Suwap near Phalodi (then Jodhpur district, now Phalodi) |
|---|---|
| Parents | Mehaji Kiniya and Deval Bai; her birth name was Ridhubai |
| Husband | Depaji |
| Died | Vikram Samvat 1595, Chaitra Shukla Navami |
| Temple | Deshnok, about 33 to 35 km from Bikaner; Shakta tradition. Built in stages: Maharaja Surat Singh added the outer wall and the main gateway, and Maharaja Ganga Singh gave it its ornate form |
| Priests | The Depawats, Depaji's descendants, who serve in monthly turns |
| Fairs | Navratras of Ashvin (the big fair) and Chaitra (the smaller fair) |
Life and tradition
- Rao Jaitsi of Bikaner is said to have sought her blessing at Deshnok when Kamran, Humayun's brother, attacked Bhatner, and to have won.
- By her grace, it is believed, Aurangzeb's army turned back from Bikaner without attacking.
The rats of Deshnok
- According to belief, the rats are Charans reborn.
- Devotees feed them milk and laddu.
Remember: often mixed up
- Charan or NaiKarni Mata is the kuldevi of the Charans · Narayani Mata of the Nai community.
Test yourself: asked in exams
CET Graduation Level 2022 · Q24
Match the following – Kuldevi — Caste (1) Karni mata — (i) Nai/Nayee (2) Sakrai mata — (ii) Seervi (3) Aai mata — (iii) Khandelwal (4) Narayani mata — (iv) Charan
- (1)1-iv, 2-i, 3-ii, 4-iii
- (2)1-ii, 2-i, 3-iv,4-iii
- (3)1-iv, 2-iii, 3-ii, 4-i
- (4)1-iv, 2-iii, 3-i, 4-ii
Show answer
✓ (3) 1-iv, 2-iii, 3-ii, 4-i
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