Jammu and Kashmir · North
Amarnath
Himalayan cave shrine of an ice lingam, open only for the summer Amarnath Yatra
Photo: Gktambe · Public domain
- Principal temple
- Amarnath Cave TempleShiva, worshipped as a natural ice lingam
- Best time to visit
- Only during the summer yatra season; July–August is the popular period
- Nearest airport
- Srinagar International Airport (SXR); the cave is about 141 km from Srinagar
- Nearest railway station
- Anantnag railway station for the southern route via Pahalgam; Srinagar railway station for the northern route via Baltal
- Tradition
- Śaiva
Overview
The Amarnath cave shrine lies at about 3,888 m in the Pahalgam tehsil of Anantnag district, Jammu and Kashmir, amid glaciers and snow-covered mountains, and is open to pilgrims only for a short period in summer. Inside the cave a natural ice stalagmite is worshipped as a lingam of Shiva, believed to be self-manifested, and Hindus believe this is where Shiva explained the secret of life and eternity to Parvati. The shrine and its pilgrimage are mentioned as Amareshvara in the Nilamata Purana and in Kalhana's Rajatarangini. Pilgrims walk either the longer route from Pahalgam via Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtarni or the shorter, steeper route from Baltal, and the yatra is organised by the government with the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board.
See sources [1–5]- Shiva, worshipped as a natural ice lingam
- Shiva, in linga form
