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The Amarnath Temple is a shrine located in a narrow gorge at the farther end of the Lidder Valley in Jammu and Kashmir. At an altitude of 3,888m above sea level and 46km from Pahalgam, the shrine is open during the summer for visitors to pay their respects to Shiva. His presence is manifested in the form of a naturally occurring ice lingam in the cave, which is believed to wax and wane with the moon. Next to the Shiva ice lingam are two more ice lingams believed to be that of Parvati and her son, Ganesh.
This year, the Amarnath Yatra will start on June 29 and end on August 19. Visitors will begin their journey from Pahalgam and pass through Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtarni before arriving at the cave—a journey which usually takes five days. Here’s what you need to know about the Amarnath Yatra 2024.
The holy cave is the place where Shiva shared the secrets of immortality with the goddess Parvati. Before doing so, he scouted for a lonely place where no living being could listen to his secret, finally choosing the Amarnath Cave. To ensure complete secrecy, he left his bull Nandi at Pahalgam; released the moon from his hair at Chandanwari; left his snakes on the banks of Lake Sheshnag; told his son Ganesh to stay put at Mahagunas Parvat; and left the five elements of earth, water, air, fire, and sky at Panjtarni.
Although the existence of the cave has been mentioned in the “Puranas,” the popular story narrated by people about the rediscovery of the cave involves a shepherd named Buta Malik. Legend says that a saint gave Buta Malik a bag full of coal. On reaching home and opening his bag, Malik found to his utter surprise that the bag was full of gold coins. This overwhelmed him with joy. He ran to thank the saint but they had disappeared. Instead, he found the Amarnath Cave and the ice lingam in it. He announced this discovery to the villagers and thus, it became a site of pilgrimage.
The Amarnath Cave is accessible only for a brief period during the summer months when weather conditions are stable and the ice lingam is fully formed. The pilgrimage period coincides with the holy Hindu month of Śrāvaṇa when many Hindus fast every Monday in honour of Shiva and every Tuesday in honour of Parvati.
The trek to the cave is considered one of the most challenging pilgrimages due to its rigorous and demanding nature. Pilgrims can take either the traditional Pahalgam route (46km) or the shorter but steeper Baltal route (14km) to reach the cave. The journey involves traversing rugged terrain, steep inclines and high-altitude passes. Pilgrims have to contend with unpredictable weather like snow, rain and extreme cold. The organisers behind the pilgrimage publish up-to-date weather information on their website and social media accounts. Despite the challenges, the breathtaking natural beauty of the landscape with its spectacular mountains, lush valleys and serene rivers energises the spirit and mind.
Given the challenging terrain and the large number of participants, the Amarnath Yatra 2024 requires extensive security and logistical arrangements. This includes deploying security forces to protect against potential threats, providing medical facilities and emergency services along the route, and setting up temporary camps with food and shelter. “Langars” or community kitchens have been set up at the Baltal base camp and will provide a continuous free food service round the clock to pilgrims. Helicopter services are available for those unable to undertake the trek on foot.
The influx of pilgrims to the remote and ecologically sensitive region of Amarnath raises significant environmental concerns. The area’s fragile ecosystem is vulnerable to damage from human activity, including waste generation, deforestation and pollution. Visitors are advised not to litter, cause pollution or disturb the environment of the pilgrimage area. The use of plastics is strictly banned in the state and is punishable under law.
