The sacred cave of Amarnath, which is associated with Lord Shiva, is one of the 5,000 year-old pilgrimage destinations in Kashmir. The cave is covered in snow for the majority of the year, with the exception of a brief period in the summer when it is accessible to pilgrims. Pahalgam provides access to the sacred cave, which is 360 kilometres from Jammu and 141 kilometres from Srinagar and is located at an altitude of 3,875 feet.
According to Nilmata Purana and Amarnath Mahatmya, Lord Shiva told Goddess Parvati the story of immortality in the sacred cave of Amaranth, which could confer immortality to any living creature that heard it. Lord Siva, in preparation for revealing the truth about immortality, left his ‘vahana’-vehicle Nandi, the bull, in Pahalgam (Bail Gaon), released the moon at Chandanwari (Jataon), the snake at Lake Sheshnag, Lord Ganesh at Mahagunas Parvat (Mahagunas Hill), and Panch Bhoot at Panjatarani (the five elements of life Earth, Water, Air Finally, he created Rudra (Kalagni) and commanded him to set fire to the holy cave and exterminate all life inside. Then Lord Shiva brought Goddess Parvati inside the cave and told her the “Amar Katha.”
However, by coincidence, one egg that was lying beneath the deer hide stayed safe. The pair of pigeons hatched from this egg became immortal after hearing the key to immortality (Amar Katha). In recognition of the fact that Lord Shiva gave the mysteries of immortality to his bride Parvati in the sacred cave, the location has been dubbed Am Rameshwar. Sage Kashyapa, who drained the Kashmir lake, is said to have discovered the cave containing the lingam. Bhrigu Rishi, Brahma’s Manasputra (son born from a desire), is also credited with discovering the Amarnath Cave and the Shivlinga.
Sanctum Sanctorum
The primary feature of the 40-meter-tall Amarnath cave is the icicle-covered stalagmite that evolved within the cave. This ice Lingam is generated by the freezing of water drops that fall from the cave’s ceiling onto the floor and then grow vertically upwards. It grows from May to August, then declines gradually thereafter. According to religious beliefs, the lingam expands and contracts with the phases of the moon, reaching its peak during the summer months. This ice lingam achieves its maximum size on the day of the full moon and then continues to shrink till it disappears on the day of the new moon. Four or five ice creations portraying various deities, including Parvati and Ganesha, are located on its flank. Lord Mrityunjay (Shiva) is revered as the immortality god.
This form of Shiva is symbolised by the legendary ice Shivlinga of Amarnath and the cave. After people learned about the lingam, it became Lord Shiva’s dwelling for all devotees. From Srinagar, the pilgrims go to the Am Amarnath Cave. The terrain is steep, dangerous, snow-covered, and even perilous. From Srinagar or Pahalgam, devotees go on foot to the shrine. The trip is typically five days long. Due to many terrorist assaults since 1994, this yatra has been prohibited. We are losing one of the most important Hindu pilgrimage sites in pseudo-secular India owing to Islamic jihad and the inactivity of pseudo-secular administrations.
Several times, Pakistani militants and Kashmiri separatist organisations have assaulted the yatra, resulting in the deaths of several pilgrims. Since the period of the Mughals, the tradition of charging a fee to worshippers has remained (Jaziya). It is of grave concern to us all that, in a secular nation like India, one of our most important Hindu pilgrimage sites is under constant assault and attack. Herath is a phonetic derivative of Har-ratri or the night of Hara (Shiva), and the festival is a significant socioreligious occasion in the lives of Kashmiri Pandits. Typically falls on the fourteenth day/night of the dark half of the Phalguna month each year (February – March).
Discussion about this post