Amarnath Yatra is an event that is carried out every year in the months of July and August. This is a divine place for pilgrimage for all the followers of Lord Shiva throughout the world. This cave shrine is located about 140 kilometers in the East of Srinagar city and is located at the height of approximately 13000 feet above the sea level.

It could be reached through two routes- Pahalgam and Baltal. While Pahalgam route is about 40 kilometers long, it takes about 2-3 days to reach the holy shrine. Baltal route is shorter but is full of dangerous curves and steep cliffs……

According to Hindu mythology, the cave shrine is about 5,000 years old. According to one of the legends, it is said that a Muslim shepherd (Bakerwaal) met a saint and the saint gave him a bag full of coal. When the shepherd reached home, he found that the coal was converted into gold.

This spread to the people in the entire region and from that time onwards, this place became a holy shrine. Even today, a part of the donations is given to the family descendents of that shepherd.

People from all parts of India and even from foreign countries; pay their homage to Lord Shiva at this shrine, which consists of ice lingam in the form of Lord Shiva. The ice lingam increases or decreases with the phases of the moon. It is in the Shravan month of the Hindu calendar and on the day of Rakhshabandhan, the ice lingam attains the maximum height. This culminates the yatra which originally used to he held for one month. Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) later extended the pilgrimage for two months.

People who want to visit this cave shrine have to seek permission and it is only after thorough medical check up that a person is allowed to continue his or her journey towards the holy shrine. Being at a high altitude, the oxygen supply is less and as a result many pilgrims every year succumb to cardiac arrests and other health related problems. Hence it is necessary that one carry out the pilgrimage if only in the sound state of health.

Every care is taken on the route for the pilgrims. There are free medical facilities, free food and other amenities. The possibility of erecting permanent structures on the route and at the cave shrine is very less because of the tough weather conditions and snow all around.

Recently, the SASB has constructed a base camp in Bhagwati Nagar area of Jammu where the pilgrims stay and then proceed for their onward journey. The daily pilgrimage or yatra leaves from Jammu early in the morning. At present, there is a row between the government and people over the allotment of land to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB). We all hope that this matter gets sorted out in no time and the ambience of peace and communal harmony remains as it used be during previous times.

The political turmoil has spoiled the peaceful ambience in the state that was an example of communal harmony and peace. The month long agitation has been called off as the land in question was given for the use so that SASB can use it for a period of three months during the yatra. We all hope that peace is restored in both the regions of the state so that the traditions are intact and people should not suffer like they did this time of the year.

We all hope that Sri Amarnath Ji pilgrimage continues smoothly as it has been going on for centuries. Politicians have tried to give it a communal color but the people of our state unearthed their nefarious designs to create a rift between the two religions. Hopefully, we might see a more influx of pilgrims next year to have a glimpse of Lord Shiva in the holy cave.

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