DEC 9 2000 Bikaner long drive through desert to Bikaner, see excellent well preserved fort, best preserved in Rajasthan. Meet Australian sisters, Belinda and Candice, at lunch in hotel. Drive 40 km to Temple of Karni Mata famous for its holy rats (said to be incarnations of mystics). In all temples in India you must walk in barefoot; usually leaving your shoes near the temple entrance. On this occasion, Pramod insists on leaving our shoes in the car and walking the 100yards from the parking lot to the Temple Entrance. I complain, he insists. I thank him later.
We step through silver doors, and are assaulted be the sight and smells of hundreds of rats sipping giant cauldrons of cream, scurrying over shoes left near the entrance, and writhing among mobs of less than clean pigeons. Pramod pulls me into the inner sanctum of temple where pungent odors of sour milk, regurgitate, foot odor, pigeon/rat droppings and feathers concentrate around a silver Vishnu icon. Manage to last a full 8 minutes in temple without vomiting. Scary drive back at night, everyone uses bights; nearly hit: 3 spotted deer, 2 massively overloaded completely-unilluminated wheat tractors, several big trucks and busses. Take shower, bath and shower. Have dinner in hotel with the sisters who seem very impressed by the bravery of my visit to the Rat Temple.

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