An Indian temple is overrun with more than 20,000 rats – and the devotees couldn’t be happier.

The Karni Mata Temple in Rajasthan, India, is known for its devotion to the furry animals, often seen as the scourge of urban areas.

Rats scurry throughout the temple, where they are worshipped, fed and protected.

Devotees have even gone to extreme lengths to protect the species by building netting and grills to keep out predators such as raptors.

The rodents move freely within the temple and can be seen eating from a huge metal bowl of milk and grains, placed there daily by devotees.

Small children can be seen playing and interacting with the rats – while scores of tourists flock there each day to catch a glimpse of the unique spectacle.

The food nibbled by the rats is also considered holy and is sometimes consumed by a devotee – even if it has been half eaten by rodents.

While black and brown rats are easily spotted in the temple courtyard, devotees believe sighting a white rat is a blessing.

Priests at the temple treat the furry inhabitants with serious devotion and warn visitors to walk carefully within the temple premises to avoid trampling them.

According to the temple rules, stepping accidentally on rat and killing it is a sin.

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