AMARNATH  SHRINE

Amarnath is 145 km east of Srinagar in Kashmir. There is an ice Shiva-linga, that changes size with the seasons, and also as the moon waxes and wanes it becomes bigger and smaller. On the full moon day the linga is about 6 feet high. It is located in a glacial valley at 4,175 m (13,700 ft.). The cave is about 150 feet high and 90 feet long. Within the cave there are four or five ice formations that resemble the figures of different gods. The biggest figure is regarded as Shiva (Amarnath).

                   Route Map of Holy Amarnath Cave

PLACE	ALTITUDE		DISTANCE	FROM
	MTRS	FEET
CHANDANWARI	2895	9500	16.0 KM	PAHALGAM
PISSU TOP	3377	11000	3.0 KM	CHANDANWARI
SHESHNAG	3352	11730	11.0 KM	PISSU TOP
MAHAGUNAS	4276	14000	4.6 KM	SHESH NAG
PANCHTARNI	3657	12000	9.4 KM	MAHAGUNUS TOP
SANGAM	3764	12370	3.0 KM	PANCHTARNI
HOLY CAVE	4175	13700	3.0 KM	SANGAM
The Annual pilgrimage is made to the Holy Amarnath Cave by lakhs of Hindu devotees on a challenging mountainous terrain in the state of Jammu and Kashmir of India.

 The Legend - Amarnath Shrine / Cave Mythology

There is famous Rig Vedic Verse that says "Ekam Sat"-one of the most significant statement in the development of the tolerant and accepting Hindu ethos that is "There is one Being, the sages call Him by many names." The God (Parmeshwar) has three deities who carry on the world. This is Known as Holy Trinity. Brahma- the creator, Vishnu - the perpetuator of life and Shiva (Mahesh) - the purifier and perpetuator of good and destroyer of evil. Rig Veda refer Shiva as Rudra as in its following verse.

"We Worship Tryambaka (Rudra), Who spread Fragrance and Increases Nourishment, May He release me, like the cucumber from its stem, From Mortal Life, But not From Immortality." (Rig Veda Mandal VII Sukta 59 and Mantra 12).

The Yajurveda describes Shiva as ascetic warrior whose robe is of Deer Skin and He carries Trishul. According to the verse Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram, the life is described as having three facets Truth (Satyam), Good (Shivam) and the Beautiful (Sundaram).

One of the holy trinity, 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 testify to His existence from the dawn of time. But Shiva, the destroyer, the mendicant, is indefinable: He is the great yogi, the guardian of the absolute. His actions are the themes of the myths in which his nature unfolds.

The Mohindaro and Harappa 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 Brahmaputra flows and the third is Muzwan Parvat (the Amarnath Cave).

The Amarnath Cave - Significance

The Importance of Amarnath Cave: The ice lingam (the phallic symbol of Shiva).

The Holy Amarnath Cave which was chosen by Bhole-Shankar for narrating the secrets of immortality and creation of Universe to Maa-Parvati. The story goes like this: Centuries ago Maa-Parvati asked Shivji to let her know why and when He started wearing the beads of heads ( Mund Mala). Bhole-Shankar replied whenever you are born I add one more head in my beads. Maa-Parvati said, "My Lord, my body is destroyed every time and I die again and again, but you are Immortal -please let me know the Immortal Secret story”. Bhole-Shankar replied, “It is due to Amar-Katha (Immortality) "

Maa-Parvati insisted that she may be told that secret. For long Shivaji continued postponing. Finally on consistent demand from Maa-Parvati, He made up His mind to tell the Immortal Secret. He started for lonely place where no living being could listen it. He chose Amarnath-Cave. In preparation to that He left His Nandi (The Bull which He used to ride ) at Pahalgam (Bail gaon) . At Chandanwari He released Moon from his hairs (Jataon). At the banks of Lake Sheshnag He released the snakes. He decided to leave his Son Ganesha at Mahagunas Parvat (Mahaganesh Hill ). At Panjtarni, Shivji left the Five Elements behind (Earth, Water, Air, Fire and Sky) which make living being. He is the Lord of these elements. It is believed that as a symbol of sacrificing the earthly world, Shivaji and Maa-Parvati had Tandav Dance. After leaving behind all these, Bhole Shankar enters the Holy Amarnath Cave along with Parvati Maa . Lord Shiva takes his Samadhi on the Deer Skin and concentrate. To ensure that no living being is able to hear the Immortal Tale, he created Rudra named Kalagni and ordered him to spread fire to eliminate every living thing in and around the Holy Cave of Amarnath. After this He started narrating the secret of Immortality to Maa-Parvati. But as a matter of chance one egg which was lying beneath the Deer skin remained protected. It is believed to be nonliving and more over it was protected by Shiva -Parvati Asan (Bed).

The pair of pigeons (doves) which were born out of this egg, eavesdropped on this conversation and became Immortal having listened and learnt the secret story of Immortality (Amar Katha), are reborn again and again, and have made the cave their eternal abode.

 Many pilgrims report seeing the pair of pigeons when they trek the arduous route to pay their obeisance before the Ice-Lingam (the phallic symbol of Shiva).

Discovery of the Holy Amarnath Cave

The story narrated by people about the discovery of this Holy Cave is of a Gujjar (shepherd) Buta Malik. He is given the credit of discovering this Holy Cave. Story goes like this, that a Saint gave Buta Malik a bag full of Coal. On reaching his home when he opened the bag, to his utter surprise the bag was full of gold coins. This made him overwhelmed with joy. He ran to thank the Saint. But, what he found was that the Saint had disappeared. Instead, he found The Holy Cave and Shiv Lingam there in. He announced the discovery of this to the Villagers. Then onwards this has become the sacred place of Pilgrimage. 

Amarnath Cave (Gufa) - History behind the Discovery of Holy Amarnath Cave.

The ancient epics narrate another story which goes like this. The valley of Kashmir was under water. It was a big lake. Kashyap Rishi drained the water through number of rivers and rivulets. In those days Bhrigu Rishi came that way on a visit to The Himalayas. He was the first to have Darshans of this Holy Cave. When people heard of the Lingam, Amarnath for them became Shiva's abode and a Centre of Pilgrimage Tour. Since then Lacs of devotees perform the pilgrimage through tough terrain and avail eternal happiness. The trek to Amarnath, in the month of sharavan ( July–August) has the devout flock to this incredible shrine, where the image of Shiva, in the form of a Lingam, is formed naturally of an Ice Stalagmite, which waxes and wanes with the Moon's cycle. By its side are fascinating, two more Ice Lingams, that of Maa-Parvati and of their son, Ganesha.

                                                      Holy Amarnath Cave