AMARNATH TEMPLE (CAVE)
Amarnath cave is a
Hindu shrine located in Jammu and Kashmir, India. The cave is situated at an
altitude of 3,888 m, about 141 km from Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and
Kashmir and reached through Pahalgam town
Shiva
is a living God. The most Sacred and ancient books of India, the Rig
Veda narrates His presence in the hymns. Vedic myths, rituals and even
astronomy testifies to His existence from the dawn of time .The Mohindaro and
Harapa findings confirm Shiva worship in the ancient India. According to the
older scriptures, He has three places of His residence. One is
Kailash Parvat another is Lohit Giri under which Brahamputra flows and
third is Muzwan Parvat .
Inside the main Amarnath cave is an ice
stalagmite resembling the Shiva Linga, which waxes during May to August and
gradually wanes thereafter. This lingam is said to grow and shrink with the
phases of the moon, reaching its height during the summer festival. According
to Hindu mythology, this is the cave where Shiva explained the secret of life
and eternity to his divine consort Parvati. There are two other ice formations
representing Parvati and Shiva’s son, Ganesha. Devotees generally take the 42 km (26 mi)
pilgrimage on foot from the town of Pahalgam, about 96 km (60 mi) from
Srinagar, and cover the journey in four to five days. There are two alternate
routes to the temple: the longer and more traditional path from Srinagar, and
the shorter route from the town of Baltal. Some devotees, particularly the
elderly, also ride on horses to make the journey.
Devotees
visit Amarnath Cave close to the festival of Shravani Mela that is held between
July-August.
From Pahalgam–A
traditional route
To reach Amarnath Cave, one has to reach Pahalgam either from Jammu (315 Km) or from Srinagar (96km). Take a bus or taxi from Jammu to reach Pahalgam or reach Srinagar by air and from there take a car, bus or taxi.
To reach Amarnath Cave, one has to reach Pahalgam either from Jammu (315 Km) or from Srinagar (96km). Take a bus or taxi from Jammu to reach Pahalgam or reach Srinagar by air and from there take a car, bus or taxi.
From
Pahalgam, devotees have to reach Chandanwari (16 km)and this distance can also
be covered by using road transport. Pilgrims can either camp at Pahalgam or
Chandanwari.
From
Chandanwari, pilgrims climb the height to reach Pissu Top that is believed to
be formed by the dead bodies of Rakshas who were killed by Lord Shiva.
To
reach at Sheshnag, pilgrims follow a steep incline. The entire route has
untouched wild scenery with cascading stream on one side. The place got its
name from the Seven Peaks. The shape of the peaks resemble that of the head of
the mythical snake.
From
Sheshnag one has to cover the steep height of 4.6 km to reach Panchtarni. This
is the last camp to the Holy Amarnath Cave. Cold winds might lead to cracks on
skin. Also at such an altitude one feels short of oxygen.
From
Panchtarni, the Amarnath Cave is located at a distance of just 6 km. As there
is no place to stay, so pilgrims have to start their journey early in the
morning so that you can come back to the base camp on time. The entire route is
very beautiful.
From Baltal–Anewroute
There is another route to Amarnath cave from Baltal that is located at 14 km from the Amarnath caves. The distance of Baltal from Jammu is 400 km that can be covered by taxi or bus. From there, pilgrims can either take ponies or travel by foot to cover the route from Baltal to Amarnath. Though this route is much narrower and steeper than from Pahalgam, it can be completed in one day with Baltal as base camp. If you want to complete the journey in one day then you can hire a helicopter from Pahalgam to Panchtarni.
All
in all, Amarnath Yatra is an experience in itself and one must visit this holy
place at least once during his or her lifetime.
During the past fifty
years, the ice Shivlingam has shrunk in size. While weather does affect its
shape and size, many environmentalists blame global warming for the condition.
By Air
Srinagar, the nearest aerodrome, has world
famous sights to see, such as Dal Lake, Nagin Lake, Shankaracharya Temple and
Mughal gardens like Shalimar, Nishat and Cheshma-shahi. Known as "Paradise
on earth" and being the summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir, the
city is well connected by air and road. There are daily flights to Srinagar
from Delhi and Jammu. On certain weekdays flights also pickup passengers from
Chandigarh and Leh.
By Rail
Jammu is the nearest Railway Station. Jammu
is the winter Capital of Jammu & Kashmir. Also known as "CITY
OF TEMPLES", one may visit old temples such as Raghunath Temple,
Mahadev Mandir and other temples. Railway station is very well connected and
there are lots of express trains to various towns in India.
By Road
Jammu and Srinagar are also connected through
road. Buses and Taxies are available for this part of the journey. These
can be hired on daily as well as on full tour basis.
