Deshnok

Deshnok is a small village situated south from the Bikaner city. It has been for years known as a pilgrim center of Karni Mata. The etymology of the village can be traced back to the 14th century when it was popularly known as “Dus-nok” meaning ten corners as it was formed by taking ten corners of ten villages. An important Hindu pilgrimage center of Rajasthan, Deshnok is more famous for the unique and exotic rituals followed at the Karni Mata Temple here.

Though Deshnok does not offer many places to see, the believers visit the temple of Karni Mata in huge numbers. Karni Mata believed to be an incarnation of Goddess Durga. Before the temple, is a marble facade supported by solid silver doors that were built by Maharaja Ganga Singh in the fourteenth century. This piece of history has been acknowledged widely as a temple of great beauty. The number of rats and mice being treated as pets, instead of pests, and gnawing away at the prasad that is later distributed to the devotees often give a big jolt of cultural shock to tourists.

Deshnok is popularly known as a place for worshiping Karni Mata, so people don’t bother much about shopping here. Though there are shops nearby that sell religious items like special beads that can be worn around the wrist or neck, temple prasad, and books on the history behind the temple. To purchase other items, one can go to nearby cities or places that sell typical Rajasthani arts such as handicrafts, jewellery, fabrics, and toys.

Deshnok offers a number of budget as well as luxury hotels to seek lodging in. Most of these hotels are located at close proximity to the airport and the railway station, thus making it easier for the tourists to travel in and around the city. The hotels range from budget hotels to heritage hotels with rooms that are exclusively equipped with modern facilities for the tourists so that their stay is memorable and comfortable. They are elegantly decorated with typical Rajasthani designs and are built on the lines of typical Rajasthani architecture. Almost all the hotels provide an in-house restaurant. Some of the best hotels here are:
Shri Karni Yatri Niwas
Lallgarh Palace Hotel
Hotel Karni Bhawan

Deshnok is in close proximity to major cities and towns of Rajasthan and this makes it easier for the tourists to travel in and around the village.

By Air : The nearest airport to Deshnok is at Bikaner. It caters to the domestic as well as international flights.

By Rail : The nearest railway station to Deshnok is at Bikaner too. Trains run to and from different cities of India.

By Road : Deshnok has well connected roadways with bus services that ply to and from different cities 24 hours a day.