Amarnath, the abode of Shiva is an Ice Lingam with many secret facts about it. Mainly, Amarnath is a cave locating at Mount Amarnath. The place of residence of Shiv Ji is in the Amarnath cave locating in the Pahalgam tehsil of Anantnag district.
Amarnath cave positions at 3888 meters which is approximately 12,756 feet above the sea level of Jammu. However, Mount Amarnath is at 5486 meters above sea level. The site is a popular Hindu pilgrimage and one of the hardest pilgrimages in India.
History of Amarnath
The story of the pilgrimage is years old. When Maa Parvati asked Lord Shiva why and when he started to wear the beads of heads ( Mund Mala). To this question, Shiv Ji replied that whenever she took a birth he added one more head to his bead. Again, Maa Parvati asked why she died again and again and he was immortal. Shiv Ji replied that to know the reason behind this she would have to hear to the Amar Katha.
Then Shiv Ji started a probe for an isolated place so that under no circumstances any of mortal being could hear the immortal tale (Amar Katha). Ultimately, he selected the Amarnath cave. Shiv Ji abandoned all the five elements (Earth, Water, Air, Fire, and Sky) behind. Also, he ensured that no living being was able to hear the immortal tale and narrated it to Maa Parvati. But, a pair of pigeons heard the story by chance & became immortal. Here, the form of Lord Shiva is in an ice lingam. Moreover, Buta Malik re-discovered the holy cave and the ice shive lingam in the cave.
How to reach
The shrine of Amarnath is in Kashmir Himalayas. Mainly, there are 2 routes to reach the holy cave. Firstly, the Pahalgam route which is around 46 km long is also a historical traditional route. Secondly, the Baltal route is around 14 km long and is a short one. The route of Pahalgam has 4-5 stops due to the long trek. To reach the cave the facilities of helicopters, ponies, and palkis are available there.
First of all, from Jammu to Pahalgam is the first stage and from there the trek to Amarnath begins. The second stage from Pahalgam to Chandanwari is 16 km long. Chandanwari to Sheshnag is the 3rd stage of the trek around 13 km long having mainly 3 passes named Pissu Top, Zoji Bal, and Naga Koti. From Sheshnag to Mahagunas Pass (4500 meters) is a steep trek. From the latter one to the Panchtarni base camp is the 4th stage of 8 km distance. The point from Panchtarni to Sangam is where the 2nd route from Baltal also meets. And then the distance to reach the cave is 3 km long.
Incredible Facts
A couple of Pigeons- In the cave of Amarnath, lucky devotees can see a pair of Pigeons. They are said to be immortal and it is a good sign for the devotee. The two pigeons are immortal because they had heard the immortal tale in the cave.
Ice Lingam– In Amarnath, the form of Shiv Ji is Ice lingam. The Lingam increases and decreases its size with the size of the moon.
Baba Barfani- Baba Barfani is the other name of Shiv Ji in Amarnath. Because the lingam is of ice i.e. barf.
Shakti Peeth- The Shrine is also one of the 51 Shakti Peeths of Mata Parvati. It is a belief that the kanth of Mata fell here.
Water source- All we know is that the lingam is made up of ice by falling drops of water from a source. In fact, the source of water is still not known.
Himkhand- it is also a belief that the other Himkhands in the cave are of Maa Parvati and Lord Ganesh.
Important tips
- RFID cards are a must with the Yatris.
- The Yatris must have done his registration either online or offline.
- After registration, RFID cards are collected from the centers on the way to Yatra.
- A health certificate is also compulsory.
- Also, take woolen essentials with you for trekking.
- Take your raincoat with you due to unexpected weather or rain.
- Carry a water bottle for a long walk.
- Carry some snacks for the trek.
- Try to reach the cave in the early morning for darshan.
Visit the temple during the months of July to August.
The Yatris using the Pahalgam route took 4-5 days to reach whereas the Yatris using the Baltal route took only 1 day and had to come back on the same day.
Winding Up
To sum up, Amarnath is a very holy place for Shiv devotees. Many Shiv devotees reach the shrine in the months of July to August. The purity of the temple is worldwide. However, the trek to Amarnath is very difficult still the number of Yatris is huge.
Most importantly, the rules for Yatris are very strict and important for their safety. Facilities of accommodation and food are mostly free. Even if, the Yatris doesn’t face any challenges in trekking. At last, Amarnath is an indispensable place to visit in India.
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