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Amarnath caves
is one of the
most famous of
Hindu temples,
dedicated to
Lord Shiva,
located in Jammu
and Kashmir,
Republic of
India. The
temple is
reported to be
around 5000
years old[1]
and is a popular
pilgrimage
destination for
Hindus - about
400,000 people
visit during the
45 day season
around the
festival of
Shravani Mela in
July-August,
coinciding with
the Hindu holy
month of
Shravan. Inside
the Amarnath
Cave lies the
ice Shiva Linga
(along with two
other ice
formations
representing
Ganesh and
Parvati) a
natural
formation of an
ice stalagmite
in the form of
lingam. This
lingam, of Shiva
is said to grow
and shrink with
the phases of
the moon,
reaching it's
height during
the summer
festival
According to
Hindu mythology,
this is the cave
where Lord Shiva
told about the
secret of Life
and eternity to
His divine
consort Parvati
and hence this
shrine holds a
very special
value to the
Hindus.
The cave is
situated at an
height of 3888 m
about 141 km
from the
Kashmir's
capital city of
Srinagar. The
area is under
the control of
the Indian Army
due to terrorism
threats and
hence prior
permission is
needed from the
government
before making
the pilgrimage.
Devotees
generally take
the 45 km
piligrimmage on
foot from town
of Pahalgam,
about 96 km from
Srinagar, and
cover the
journey in 4 to
5 days. There
are two
alternate routes
to the temple,
one the more
traditional and
the longer path
from Srinagar
and the other a
shorter route
from the town of
Baltal. Some
devotees,
particularly the
old, also use
horse-back
riding to make
the journey.
The Linga
: -
The
cylindrical ice
formation
resembling a
Shiva-linga
which waxes
during May to
August and
gradually wanes
thereafter is a
stalagmite.
According to The
Hindu (reported
on July 2nd
2007), "The
Shivlingam in
the 200-cubic
metre cave was
around 12 feet
high on June 9
(2007) but had
gradually thawed
due to warm
weather." "The
Shivlingam has
melted owing to
the rise in
temperatures. It
is a normal
phenomenon;
weather affects
its shape and
size," Shree
Amarnathji
Shrine Board (SASB)
chief executive
officer Arun
Kumar said. The
other ice
'lingams,'
representing
Parvati and
Ganesh were,
however, still
intact, he said.
History :
-
The temple is
reported to be
about 5000 years
old and has been
mentioned in
ancient Hindu
texts. The exact
discovery of the
cave is not
clear, though it
is commonly
believed that a
Gujjar (natives
of Kashmir)
shepherd found
the cave and was
given a bag by a
saint in it.
When he returned
home he found
them to be gold
coins, and this
got the entire
village excited
and believed
that the cave is
the home to the
Lord. Another
legend says that
an Hindu rishi,
Kashyap drained
the lake of
Kashmir and
found the cave
along with the
lingam in it.
This latter
legend might be
alluding to the
geological
transformation
of this region,
when the massive
sea in this part
was compressed
by the Indian
geological plate
to form the
Himalayas.
The Amarnath
Yatra, according
to Hindu
beliefs, begins
on Ashadha
Poornima
(Full Moon Day
of Hindu Month 'Ashadha')
and ends on
Shravana
Poornima (Full
Moon Day of
Hindu Month 'Shravana').
The two-month
Yatra for the
year 2007 began
on July 1, 2007
amidst tight
security and
adverse weather
conditions
Travelling
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