Karni Mata facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Karni Mata
Goddess of Power and Victory Incarnation of Hinglaj
Other names	Riddhi Baisa
Affiliation	Charanas, Rajputs & Rajpurohits
Abode	Western Rajasthan(Marwar and Bikaner)
Weapon	Trident
Symbol	eagle / Sanwali
Mount	Lion and flanked by eagle
Personal information
Spouse	Depa ji Rohadiya of Sathika
Parents	Meha ji Kiniya & Deval Bai

Karni Mata (Hindi: करणी माता, or Bhagwati Karniji Maharaj), known by various names such as Bhagwati, Mehaai, Jagdamba, and Kiniyani is a Hindu Goddess of power and victory described as a warrior sage who lived between 14th to 16th century in Western Rajasthan. Karni Mata is the tutelary deity of the Rajputs and Charans of northwestern India. As a Sagati, she is also worshipped as an incarnation of Hinglaj or Durga. She is the official deity of the royal families of Bikaner and Jodhpur. Karniji played an important role in shaping the history of the region. She is intimately associated with the establishment of the Rajput hegemony in the region. With her blessings, Rao Jodha and Rao Bika founded new kingdoms of Jodhpur and Bikaner. At the request of the Maharajas of Bikaner and Jodhpur, she laid down the foundations of Bikaner Fort and Mehrangarh Fort, the two most important forts in the region. She lived an ascetic life and was widely revered during her own lifetime. Indian Army troops from the Marwar region also regard Karni Mata as their patron deity.

The most famous of the Karni Mata temples is the Karni Mata Temple of Deshnoke where the temple and surrounding Oran land are a sacred sanctuary for all the living beings and no one is to be harmed. In Rajasthan, Blackbucks are considered sacred as Karni Mata is supposed to protect them.

Significance

Maharaja Gaj Singh of Bikaner worshiping goddess Karni Mata, 1723 CE

The spiritual importance of the symbol of the Karni Mata as that of non violence, protector, peaceful coexistence and provider of the power & legitimacy to the Rajputs. One of the most revered deities of Rajputs is Karni Mata, whom many Rajput clans worship as family goddess and link their community's existence or survival in dire times. Karni Mata is also attributed with having a close relationship with the Rathore rulers, not only of Bikaner but also of Jodhpur. Throughout the history of both states, there are numerous accounts of the deity interceding on behalf of a ruler during times of battle, or in matters of alliance building. In present times, the Karni Mata temple in Deshnoke has become an important gathering spot for many Charan clans. Her devotees often mention that after the 1947 Partition of India and the subsequent problems in reaching Hinglaj, Karni Mata temple of Deshnoke has become the most important site for the community.

Cāraṇa Sagat

Karni Mata worshipped Awad Mata who was an earlier incarnation of Hinglaj in 8-9th century. When Charans chart the genealogy of incarnate deities, they usually begin with Hinglaj Mata and continue the list with the names of Awad Mata and then Karni Mata. Each successive figure is believed to be an incarnation or avatar of the previous sagat. However, important to note that not all incarnate deities follow this genealogy and not all are considered to be forms of, nor linked to, any previously known sagat.

Temples of Karni Mata

Sri Karni Mata Temple of Deshnoke

Sri Karni Mata Temple (Deshnoke)

The Deshnoke temple is the most important pilgrimage site for the devotees of Karni Mata. The temple is famous for the approximately 25,000 black rats and a few white rats (which are rarest to be seen) that live, and are revered, in the temple. These holy rats are considered to be reincarnated Cāraṇas devotees of previous birth, taking birth among humans and mouse form alternatively. Many people travel great distances to pay their respects. The temple draws visitors from across the country for blessings, as well as curious tourists from around the world.

The Gumbhara in which the idol (carved by a suthar named Banna Khati on beautiful yellow marble of Jaisalmer in three months) has been installed in presence of Karniji herself, it's an uncemented structure with the roof of Jal tree Salvadora oleoides. The speciality of the structure is that for the shelter of Kabas, no mortar has been used. After the victory over Kamran Mirza, the king Rao Jaitsi (fourth ruler of Bikaner) constructed a structure around the Gumbhara called 'The Mandh'. Later Maharaja Surat Singh changed it to Pucca structure. The gold door of the sanctum (temple) was presented by Maharaja Bakhtawar Singh of Alwar. In the 20th century, Maharaja Ganga Singh renovated the most part of the temple.

Temra Rai Temple

It is dedicated to goddess Avadji and located at the same place where Rao Kanha suffered for his obstinacy. The original Karand (basket used by Karniji to worship Avadji) and the Idol of Avadji are still present there in the temple.

Sati Mankumariji Temple

The temple is a cenotaph containing the image of Mankumariji, Karniji’s grand-daughter, and her friend Sakhi. Mankumariji declared herself a Sati upon receiving news of her husband’s death, and her friend Sakhi too joined her.

Sri Nehriji Temple (Deshnoke)

Shri Nehriji is another temple at Deshnoke associated with Karniji when she lived at Deshnoke. The word Nehriji means a dry wood which was revived to life to serve the requirement of churning the curd.

When the migrants from Sathika first arrived at Johad in Janglu, they needed facilities for extracting ghee and churning curd from the cow milk. While pots and other required materials for the task had been brought, extraction of butter could not begin without a nehri (a Rajasthani name for one of the churning tools). Karniji asked one of the servants to fetch a piece of wood for the purpose who searched but what he did bring was not fit for making a proper nehri. Karniji thereupon planted the deadwood branch brought by the servant and sprinkled it with curd. The wood (a piece of dead Jal tree), took root and grew up as the only green Jal tree now to be seen in the Deshnoke Oran (protected village forest). A noteworthy feature of this tree is marks of sprinkled curds that have survived to this day.

Karni Mata Temple (Mathania)

This is the oldest temple of Karni Mata built by her follower, Amaraji Barhath of Mathania. After laying the foundation stone of the new capital of Jodhpur, Mehrangarh fort, Karniji on her return journey en route to Deshnoke stopped at Mathania on the request of its estate ruler Amaraji Barhath who had earlier came to Deshnoke as an emissary of Rao Jodha. Mathania was about 12 miles from Mandore. To commemorate the visit of the goddess, Amaraji raised a temple and dedicated it to her which became the first Karni Mata Temple in history. Thanks to blessings from Karniji, Amaraji had numerous progeny who came to be known as Amrawat.

The Temple's inner sanctum consists of foot imprints of Karni Mata which are worshipped.

Harsiddhi Temple (Porbandar)

Once a devotee Jagadu or Jhagdu Shah, a 15th-century Gujarati trader was sailing in sea, and was stuck in sea storm. Then he called Maa Karni from his small ship, and was helped while she was milking cow at her home. And got him reached Porbandar port. After reaching safely, Jhagadu shah came to Maa Karni at Deshnoke for thanksgiving her kindness, and told his wish to construct temple. Then Karni Mata told him to construct temple at Porbandar as Harsiddhi temple.

Karni Mata Temple (Mathura)

This temple was originally built by Lakhaji Barhath in the 16th century in Mathura. In the 20th century, it was renovated and reconstructed by Thakur Akshay Singh Ratnu.

Karni Mata Temple by Rana Sanga (Mewar)

A shrine dedicated to Karni Mata was built by the Chāraṇas in the village of Bheemal Charanan in the Mewar kingdom. The priestess of the temple, Viri Maa, was renowned in the region for her prophecies. When the crown princes of Mewar: Sanga, Jaimal, and Prithviraj, were in tussel over the decision to succeed the throne, their uncle Surajmal suggested visiting the venerated shrine of Karni Mata at Nahar Magra (“Tiger's Mount”) to obtain an omen from Viri Maa. Due to this belief, the dispute between Sanga and his brother Prithviraj to become Maharana was decided in this shrine and the prediction of Rana Sanga becoming the ruler of Mewar was made by Viri Maa.

However, this prediction did not sit well with the crown prince Prithviraj who gravely injured Sanga causing him to lose vision in one eye. Ultimately, Rana Sanga defeated Prithviraj and became the ruler of Mewar and constructed a temple dedicated to Karni Mata at this shrine.

Manshapurna Karni Mata Temple (Udaipur)

Another temple dedicated to Karni Mata is Shri Manshapurna Karni Mata Temple or Karni Mata, Udaipur, located on the Machla Hills, near Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Park in Udaipur, Rajasthan. Between the years 1620 and 1628, Maharana Karan Singh developed a residential area at Machla Magra for Udaipur's safety. The temple was built by Maharana Karan Singh as a symbol to mark the boundary and safety of Udaipur. Though for a long period the temple was deserted, in 1997 the Shri Manshapurna Karni Mata Development Committee rebuilt it.

Karni Mata Temple (Alwar)

A further temple dedicated to Karni Mata is located in the historical city of Alwar, Rajasthan. It is situated in the heart of city, near the Sagar Palace and Bala Qila.

This temple was built by the second ruler of the Alwar State, Maharao Raja Sawai Bakhtawar Singh (1791–1815). Since then, the royal family of Alwar has been worshipping Karni Mata for which two temples were built in Bala Qila and Rajbhawan.

Shree Madh Khurad Dham (Nagaur)

Another historical temple dedicated to Maa Karni is located at Khurad, 12 km northeast from Gachhipura in the district of Nagaur, Rajasthan. The original temple was built by the Cāraṇas of village Khurd. Inder Baisa, a 20th-century figure, was seen as an incarnation of the goddess Karni by her followers. The Bikaner ruler Maharaja Ganga Singh was also among her devotees and on her advise sanctioned Rs. 11,157 on 8 September 1930 from his privy purse for carrying out the original works and repairs of the temple of Goddess Karni. Ganga Singh entrusted this work to his trusted Army Minister Hari Singh of Sattasar. It was built in the form of a fort. Being very near to marble city Makrana, it is built mainly of white marble.

See also

In Spanish: Karni Mata para niños