The capitol grew rank in the summer heat, the humid streets clogged with sweating tourists and rats. Both were welcome, the tourists for the money they could put in the pockets of the traders, and the rats, the over-riding reason why there were so many tourists. The vast majority here to visit the Karni Mata temple, better known as the Temple of the Rats. What the vast majority don’t realise is that it is only the twenty thousand or so black rats who live within the temple precinct are sacred. The ones who they see scurrying around the streets while they browse for souvenirs of this wonderful if not stomach-turning experience, the ones lazing on the sun-bleached walls and roof and those who roam uninvited in their hotel rooms are just rats.
Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie, First Line Friday: August 16th, 2019
Filed under As you read it, Factual, faith, Self compositions
When the pen takes control. 
plain dirty brown rats …
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In the temple they are actually black rats
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But thee other, the town rats, runnning hither, thither, in all dirty places, no matter the supposed colour of their fur coats are almost certainly dirty brown.
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Is there a physical difference between the rats, or just a difference imposed by people?
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Rattus rattus, black rattus norvegicus brown, generally more heavily built, a myth that the black brought the plague but probably helped spread it.
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Ah, gotcha! Thanks!
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I think the most unsettling aspect of the temple has to be the tourists/devotees that drink the rat’s milk. I’m not what sure what worries me more, the countless rat’s backwash, the bathing insects or the cheese inducing effects of the tropics. Either way, I suspect it’s a recipe for an interesting evening. Nice post.
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Strong stomach required I guess
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