‘AMARNATH YATRA’ - A PILGRIMAGE TO THE ICE-LINGAM CAVE

‘AMARNATH YATRA’ - A PILGRIMAGE TO THE ICE-LINGAM CAVE

The ‘Abode of the Gods’, holy ‘Ice-Lingam Cave’ atop south Kashmir Himalayas is once again regenerating a high spirit enthusiasm among devotees for Amareshwara or Amarnath pilgrimage as the pilgrims, authorities, hoteliers, business community besides the labourers are once again vigorously engaged in the process of preparations  which are in full swing. 

The pilgrims have, this time enough reasons to rejoice since the Delhi Government has reduced the number of mandatory health tests from six to four. Also, the number of  Medical certificate issuing hospitals has been increased from 23 to 42 by the authorities besides the Union Government roping in the prestigious AIIMS, Safdarjung Hospital and RML Hospital and all other government hospitals in the city to ensure that the pilgrims does not face any problem in securing the health certificates which became mandatory after the Supreme Court of India, July 2012 constituted a Special High Powered Committee (SHPC) to, inter alia, suggested  measures , about 20 for upgrading the healthcare infrastructure in the Yatra areas and ensure healthcare safety of pilgrims visiting the shrine as the exposure to severe cold, low humidity, increased ultra violet radiation and reduced air pressure since the Oxygen level in the air is very low which force yatris to encounter respiratory complications.

The sacred cave enshrining the ‘Ice-Lingam’ is about 32 kms from Chandanwari, ahead of the Pahalgam and just 14 kms from Baltal to ‘Panchtarni’. Earlier, the Sceptre “Charri Mubarak”, the holy silver mace of the Lord Shiva was forced to move out from Dhashnami Akhara, Srinagar to Ranbeshwar Temple, Jammu about two decade ago on arrival of the militancy and gun culture in the Valley of Kashmir thus depriving thousands of devotees to have dharshan of the famous ‘Ice Lingam’. But the reality is that the Amereshwara or Amarnath cave is to the Hindus what Bathelem is to Christians, Rome to Catholics and Mecca to the Muslims of the world.

The elysian valley of Kashmir within its borders has one of the most amazing holy shrine of Hindus,“Amereshwara or Amarnath Cave”, the house of the Lord Shiva of the trinity who is the greatest of the Hindu Gods. The famous ‘Ice Lingam’ cave is really created by the God and untouched by the human hands so far. The fascinating Hindu pilgrimage infuses health, mental peace, vigour and spiritual upliftment with a simple ‘dharshan’ of the ‘Ice-Lingam’ which wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon. The Amarnath cave, enshrining self-created ‘Ice Lingam’ of the Lord Shiva, considered to be both the destroyer and healer, is situated at 17,321 ft above sea level atop a glacier gorge about 141 kms from Srinagar, the summer capital of the Jammu and Kashmir.

The great festival, ‘Darshan day’, full moon of ‘Shravan Purnamasi’, on 21 August (this year) celebrated also as ‘Raksha Bhandhan day’ every year in the country. The sceptre ‘Charri Mubarak’ is believed to be obtained by Bragish ji ‘Bhagwan Mahadev’ which he had enthrusted to Nagraj Takhek and since then, the pilgrims to the cave are led by this silver sceptre ‘ Charri Mubarak’ held by the head Mahant of the Dashmani Akhara sadhus. The ‘Charri Mubarak’, silver rod, was always taken to the famous ‘Sharika’ and ‘Shankracharya’ temples in Srinagar prior to the departure for the cave with a warm send off by the people from all walks of life on the 4^thday of bright fortnight of Shravan Pakesh prior to 1990 and   thereafter, the pilgrims were supposed to assemble at Phalgam on the 11^th day of the bright fortnight of the ‘Shravan Pakhsh’, this would include also the pilgrims arriving from outside the state possibly for their convenience.

In the initial years of post- Kashmiri Pandit migration outside the valley the authorities did not permit yatra from Sonamarg and Verinag routes and all the pilgrims were asked to pass through Khanabal where a camp was set up to ensure maximum security and convenience of pilgrims. Similar camps were set up at Ramban and Banihal and a check point at Lower Munda. This was done to ensure proper record of the pilgrims in view of the militant activities in the valley. And on the 12^th day of the ‘Shravan Shakulu paksh’ the devotees would proceed towards the cave in phased manner.

CAVE:

          The Amarnath cave is situated at an altitude with 75 degree 13 longitude and 34 degree 13 latitude and about 17,321 ft above the sea level writes the famous historian Kalhana in the Rajtarangini. He further claims, “Amereshwara is believed to have manifested himself to the Gods who entreated him for protection against death. The God is worshipped in a ‘Linga shapped Ice block”. The historical source twice makes mention of the cave, “Firstly where the King Ram Deva is started to have imprisoned the debauched king Sukh Deva and to have drowned him in the Lidder (Lambodheri)  among the mountains of Amarnath about 1000 BC and secondly where the King Saidmati (34BC to 17 AD) is described as visiting the ‘Ice Lingam’ writes Samsarchand Koul.    

         

The opening of the shrine is above 200 ft to 300 ft above torrents and the path leading up to the cave is a steep and rocky passing straight inwards for about 75 ft and then turns to right

for about 125 ft. The height of the cave varies from 10 ft to 50 ft. Water oozes at various spots from the rocky roof of the cave which on freezing forms the transparent ‘Ice-Lingam’ on the floor of the cave which wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon. The phenomena is a mystery not only to the devotees but to the scientists too. The Lingam is worshipped as a self-created (Svayambhu) linga and is considered embodiment of Shiv Amaresh-wara and  besides the main linga two more small lingas considered as  Parvati ji and Ganesh ji. 

ROUTES:

           

         Though, the Amarnath cave is reached through two different routes the traditional old one, via Pahalgam and the other from Baltal, Sonamarg. The Baltal route is always full with risk especially if the weather runs nasty. But The Pahalgam route was considered convenient in view various arrangements like transport, (horses, ponies and dandies), fuel, food, dry ration items and fodder besides the  medical aid provided by the government. Pilgrims via this route reach the cave in stages travelling daily about 10 to 15 kms. Though, the number of pilgrims in earlier times

used to be in thousands now runs to several lakhs these days. The pilgrims comprises of sadhus, men, women, youth and children besides the foreigners form the part of the sanity environment at every stage of the yatra.  Pilgrims walk step by step in chain form, with one spirit reciting “Bholenathji ki jai and Jai shaker”. Riding the ponies, pack ponies and labourers carrying palanquin add to the charm of the pilgrimage. The labourers carrying these dandies, ponies, palanquins and loads sing in chorus to avoid fatigue. 

         

Earlier, the pilgrims accompanying the “Charri Mubarak” from Srinagar would cover the entire 96 kms route on foot in stages from Srinagar to Pahalgam  reaching here on the 12^th day of the bright fortnight of ‘Shravan’ and thereafter leaving for Chandanwari on the same day but it is the place of main congregation these days. Nobody from here or ahead of this stoppage is allowed to overtake the ‘Yatris procession to reach the cave.

         

Chandanwari, a bowl shaped valley falling on the bank of a stream is situated at about 9,500 ft above the sea level roughly around 16 kms from Pahalgam. Pilgrims reach here on the 12^th day of ‘Shravan’. The road is fit for vehicles upto this place. Next day, the journey starts from Chandanwari to ‘Wavjun’. From here, a steep ascending ‘Pisu’ hill ( 11000 ft) full of rocks starts the actual hazardous journey and soon reach the ‘Nagkuta hill’, about 3 kms from the Zojila pass.  Pilgrims go along the shore of the ‘Sheishnag’ ( 11,730 ft) which lies in deep depression surrounded by the mountain on one side. ‘Sheishnag’, the den of the serpent god is considered the resting place or ‘aasana’ of the ‘Lord Vishnu’. ‘Sheishnag’ is fed by ‘Kohenhar Glacier’ looking like a head of Cobra, about a mile long and half mile in width lake. Its connection with the Zamtihag makes it more enchanting. The pilgrims perform their ablution in the sacred water of ‘Sheishnag’ which really intolerable being the temperature of the serene water somewhere around zero degree. Atop the small hill is the resting place of Wavjun known for the fast winds.

 DIFFICULT PHASE:

         

Wavjun is about 12,230 ft above the sea level. Next morning pilgrims leave for ‘Panchtarni’ with a firm determination to overcome the most difficult ‘Ashad Daki’ followed by ‘Maha Gunus’ which is at a height of 14,000 ft above the sea level. Many people pass out while ascending the mountains track of ‘Maha Gunus’ with the overpowering fragrance of wild herbs or shortage of Oxygen. There is a gradual descending upto ‘Panchtarni’ after crossing the ‘Maha Gunus’ peak. But on reaching atop the peak, Nagarpal– a huge boulder, the pilgrims scramble with some pebbles in their hands beating the rock to proclaim their arrival. ‘Panchtarni’ is at a hands distance from here being just 11 kms away.

         

‘Panchtarni’ is a place where Sangam of five streams takes place to form the ‘Sind River’. It joins the river Jehlum at Shadipur, Kashmir. The constituent  tributaries taking birth from the Kounnag lying in the North-West of ‘Sachkach’ mountain. ‘Panchtarni’ is the final stage of the pilgrimage being 7 kms away from the holly Cave. Devotees start at mid-night and cross the ‘Amaravati’, pilgrims take bath and wash their minds from misconception or the material world.  Water of ‘Amaravati’ is also too cold to touch, being the glacier water but the devotees hold up their courage to take a bath in ‘Amaravati’. A little walk from here puts the pilgrims quite in front of the cave enshrining a symbol of the God sculpted in ‘Ice Lingam’.

         

The cave ‘Gupha’ or cavern is a real den of the ‘Lord Shiva’. Droplets of water oozing out of the roof of the cave get frozen strictly at three places forming the ‘Ice Lingams’, one large and two small. Immortal emblems of the ‘Lord Shiva’ is comparatively bigger in size than the other two that of ‘Parvati ji and Ganesh ji’. Through spacious cave the recitation of the Vedas and mantras used to echo whereas the devotees awaiting their term recite ‘Bholanath ji ki Jai’ and ‘Jai Shanker’. The devotees, particularly the Naga sadhus, smear the bodies with ‘Amarbuti’, a chalky substance of Sulphate and Chloride of Calcium.  Snow pigeons nests in mountain and make their appearances at this juncture to give ‘darshan’  to the pilgrims. A legend that the ‘Lord Shiva’ along with his divine spouse ‘Parvati ji’ stayed here for some time after the marriage being in a happy mood, agreeable to grant any kind of boon asked for by the devotees once ‘darshan’ is complete for a pilgrim the next job before him or her is to return to ‘Panchtarni’ for onward journey to Pahalgam etc. Generally people return to Pahalgam in two days but a good trekker can possibly make it a single day return journey being a descending route.  

These days, the pilgrims mostly the youths, Jawans, and foreigners who intend to have the ‘darshan’ and back within the minimum possible time except the challenge posed on the ‘Baltal- Sonamarg’ route and perform their ‘darshan’ . The Baltal route is full with risk particularly in bad weather is very  and short just 14 kms to Panchtarni. Baltal provides an enchanting ground at the foot of the Zojila at the eastern extremity of the Sind valley. The track is just 1.8 metre wide quite irregular at most of the places and poses many challenges here and there. Now, the Govt. has introduced Helicopter service and the registration is already in progress since 20 April 2013. The Heli tickets for Baltal– Panjtarani  (Baltal sector) is Rs. 1500/- whereas it  is Rs. 2400/- for Pahalgam – Panjtarani (Panjtarani sector).

In fact, the devotees nowadays requires to take care of the guidelines issued by the authorities from time to time in view of the Supreme Court of India’s constituted Special High Powered Committee (SHPC) recommendations such as  Compulsory Health certificate, Form ‘A’  (Application Form), Do’s and Don’ts ( avoid stoppage at places marked by warning notices and equally avoid use of slippers etc.) whereas the do’s mostly comprise of common sense issues especially the precautions well ahead of hilly journey such as deep breathing exercises, Yoga and Pranayam, warm clothing water proof shoes, torches, walking sticks, small umbrellas, etc. The pilgrims need to walk in groups and possess proper communication like mobile etc. And finally, the old age people above 75 years or below 13 besides the 6 week above pregnant women need to resist to be a part of any pilgrim group.