Bikaner
Thirty kilometres from Bikaner, the Karni Mata Temple at Deshnoke is one of the most singular religious experiences in India — a temple where over 20,000 rats are considered sacred, fed, and revered as incarnations of Karni Mata's devotees. Walking barefoot through the temple while rats move freely around your feet is deeply disorienting, strangely peaceful, and utterly unlike anything else in the country.
Footwear must be left outside. Spotting a white rat in the temple is considered very auspicious — keep your eyes open. Do not recoil or show fear — the priests consider it offensive.