Amarnath Cave Temple
Address
Baltal Amarnath Trek, Forest Block, Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir 192230 Pahalgam Jammu and Kashmir, IndiaMap
Description
The Amarnath Temple is a popular Hindu shrine situated in the Pahalgam tehsil of the Anantnag district in Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is located inside a cave at a height of 3,888 meters (12,756 feet) and is around 168 km from Anantnag city, which is the district headquarters, and 141 km (88 miles) from Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir. Pilgrims can reach the cave through either Sonamarg or Pahalgam. The shrine is surrounded by glaciers, snowy mountains and is mostly covered with snow throughout the year, except for a brief period during the summer when it is open to pilgrims. The Amarnath Temple is an important religious site in Hinduism. In Hindu mythology, it is believed that the cave, which is situated in Sind Valley, is the abode of the Mahamaya Shakti Pitha, one of the 51 Shakti Pithas in the Indian subcontinent that commemorate the location of the fallen body parts of the Hindu deity Sati. The annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath Temple varies between 20 and 60 days and attracts a large number of devotees. In 1989, between 12,000 and 30,000 pilgrims visited the temple. The number of visitors peaked in 2011, with over 6.3 lakh (630,000) pilgrims. However, in 2018, the number of pilgrims decreased to 2.85 lakh (285,000).
Tales
As per the legend, Sage Bhrigu was the first one to discover Amarnath. It is believed that a long time ago, the Valley of Kashmir was completely submerged underwater. Sage Kashyapa drained it through a series of rivers and rivulets. After the waters drained, Bhrigu was able to have the first darshan of Shiva at Amarnath. From then on, when people heard of the lingam, it became a sacred abode of Shiva for all believers and a site of an annual pilgrimage, which is traditionally performed by lakhs of people during the Hindu holy month of Savan, in July and August. According to the legend, Shiva left Nandi, the bull, at Pahalgam (Bail Gaon). At Chandanwari, he released the Moon from his hair (Jata). On the banks of Lake Sheshnag, he released his snake. At Mahagunas Parvat (Mahaganesh Mountain), he left his son Ganesha. At Panjtarni, Shiva left behind the five elements - Earth, Water, Air, Fire, and Sky, as a symbol of sacrificing the earthly world. Shiva performed the Tandava Dance to signify this sacrifice. Finally, Shiva and Parvati entered the Amarnath Cave, where they both manifested into a lingam made of ice. Shiva became the lingam of ice, and Parvati became the yoni of rock.
History
In 1895, pilgrims used to travel to Kheer Bhawani for a brief stop. They were sustained by free rations from the state, and then they would travel to Srinagar. From Srinagar, the pilgrims would then head up Lidder Valley in batches, stopping at locations for holy dips. At Mach Bawan, local Hindus would join them. The Maliks of Batok were responsible for the route during those years. In Notes of Some Wanderings with the Swami Vivekananda, Sister Nivedita writes of Swami Vivekananda's visit to the cave in 1898.
Features
Deities:
Timings:
All week: 6 am to 6 pm
Built:
5000 years ago
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