FACTS & FIGURES
Altitude: 3888 m
Language: Hindi, Urdu, & English
Best time to visit: July-August
Dates: 21st June 2005 to
19th August 2005
and 6th July 2005
to 19th August 2005
Map of the Amarnath Yatra
LOCATION
The holy shrine of Amarnath is situated 145 km from Srinagar, the capital of the North Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir. Located at an altitude of 3888 m above sea level, the Amarnath Cave is considered holy by Hindus. Every year a giant stalagmite or pillar of ice in the shape of a phallus, forms within this cave. This ice pillar is worshipped as a lingam - a symbol of Shiva - and thousands of pilgrims travel across the mountains to pray at the holy Amarnath cave shrine, in July and August every year.
LEGEND
In Hinduism the three most important Gods are Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver and Shiva the Destroyer. Shiva is mentioned in the Rig Veda - one of the earliest religious books of India and continues to be worshipped to the present day. Shiva is depicted as an ascetic clad in a deerskin. He carries a trident and is accompanied by his consort, the female deity Parvati, and his son, the elephant- headed God Ganesha.
According to legend, Shiva was asked by Parvati to tell her the secret of immortality. He resisted for a long while, however her repeated insistence led to his agreeing to reveal the secret to her. They traveled to an isolated location in the Himalayas, where no one could overhear the secret. On the way Shiva left Nandi the Bull, at Pahalgam (Bail gaon). He released the moon from his hair at Chandanwari. At Sheshnag peak, he released his snakes and Ganesh was left behind at Mahagunas Hill (Mahaganesh Hill). At Panchtarni, Shiva left behind the five elements (Earth, Water, Air, Fire and Sky) and accompanied by Parvati entered the cave. Here he meditated seated on his deer skin. To ensure that no living creature heard the secret he created a fire to destroy all life around him and then began to disclose the secret of immortality to Parvati. However a pigeon's egg hidden beneath Shiva's deerskin remined unharmed by the fire. A pair of pigeons, who overheard the secret of immortality, were born from this egg and even today pilgrims who visit the holy cave can see a pair of pigeons nesting here. Since the secret of immortality (Amar Katha) was revealed within this cave, it came to be known as Amarnath.
Instant Hotel Booking for Amarnath
Hotels in Srinagar
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Tour Packages for Amarnath Yatra
Helicopter Darshan Package
3 Nights / 4 Days - 6th July to 19th August
Amarnath Yatra Via Pahalgam
5 Nights / 6 Days - 6th July to 19th August
Amarnath Yatra with Srinagar
5 Nights / 6 Days - 6th July to 19th August
Amarnath Yatra Via Baltal
4 Nights / 5 Days - 21 June to 19th August
AMARNATH CAVE
The Amarnath cave is about 45 m (150 feet) high, 27 m (90 feet) long and faces south. Inside the cave, there are four to five ice formations resembling figures of various gods. According to the tradition, the largest one is worshipped as Amarnath or Shiva, one on the left side of the lingam is an ice formation worshipped as Ganesha, and on the right is an ice formation worshipped as Parvati. Inside the Amarnath cave is another small cave to the left of the image, from which a chalk-like substance is given out to pilgrims as Vibhuti or holy ash.
AMARNATH YATRA ROUTE Map of the Amarnath Yatra
Around 150,000 pilgrims undertake the Amarnath Yatra every year. A priest carrying the Chari Mubarak or holy scepter of Shiva, leads the yatris up to the cave. There are 2 routes to the holy Amarnath Cave. The routes are as follows:
Route 1: Srinagar - Pahalgam - Chandanwari - Pissu Top - Sheshnag - Panchtarni - Amarnath
Route 2: Srinagar - Sonamarg - Baltal - Domail - Barari - Amarnath
more...
WHERE TO STAY
Pilgrims who travel to the Holy Amarnath cave shrine can stay overnight at tented camps along the routes. Panchtarni, which is the last stop before the holy cave, is where pilgrims can stay at night and visit the Amarnath Cave during the day, before beginning their return journey.
HOW TO REACH
Amarnath is not directly linked by road or rail. The nearest airport is at Srinagar (145 km), which is connected to Delhi and other Indian cities. Jammu (300 km) is the common starting point for the Amarnath Yatra and is connected by road, rail and air to all major Indian cities. Reaching Amarnath is not an easy trek due to the difficult weather conditions and the steep climb up along the Himalayas. Porters, Ponies and Dandies (Chairs carried by porters) are available along the route.
CLIMATE
The climate along the route to the Amarnath Cave is very cold. Though days may be sunny, rain or snowfall may occur at any time. The night temperature can drop to -5 Degrees Celcius.
PRECAUTIONS
Every traveler has to be registered with the government before starting the Amarnath Yatra
Only physically fit pilgrims should attempt the Amarnath Yatra.
Acclimatize yourself for a day at the base camp before beginning the trek. The altitude can cause breathing problems while traveling.
All pilgrims should carry adequate warm clothing.
Pilgrims should carry nourishing food such as dry fruits, chocolates etc., to consume on the trip
Comfortable walking shoes, a walking stick, torch, raincoat, windcheater and medical kit are essential supplies on the Amarnath Yatra
Carry enough money to pay for any additional needs.
Pay heed to warning signs about falling rocks or avalanches. Only travel with an experienced guide, and with a group of pilgrims.
REGISTRATION
All yatris must be registered with the Jammu and Kashmir Government and are issued a registration-cum-identity slip, which they should carry with them at all times.
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1 comment:
Amarnath vs Haj
The unfortunate events in Jammu & Kashmir regarding the transfer of land by the government to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board call for each one's urgent attention and involvement.
What began as a simple effort to facilitate Amarnath pilgrims has suddenly developed communal and political overtones. This is appalling when compared to the facilities offered to the Haj and the Vaishno Devi pilgrims.
In an attempt to bring this to the attention of every responsible citizen of India, we would like you to have the benefit of some facts stated below.
In keeping with public policy statements, the Government of India makes elaborate arrangements for the welfare of Haj pilgrims and strives to improve the facilities provided to them every year. That is how it should be. The Government of India, and the ministry of external affairs in particular, deserves credit for providing perhaps the best arrangements that any government makes for their Haj pilgrims.
For eg: As reported in a newspaper article, here are the facts about the facilities provided to Haj pilgrims.
1. To begin with, the government provides an airfare subsidy to about 100,000 pilgrims selected by the Haj Committee of India who go for Haj annually. Pilgrims pay only Rs 12,000 for their air travel. This figure has remained unchanged for at least a decade or more. According to official figures, this subsidy was Rs 280 crores in 2006, or about Rs 28,000 per pilgrim. Today, with rising fuel prices, this figure would have gone up to Rs 350-400 crore. There is also a seperate Haj Terminal at Delhi International Airport.
2. There is a separate Haj cell in the ministry of external affairs. The Haj Committee of India has its own premises in Mumbai. Similarly the State Haj Committees have their own premises in various other Indian cities. These facilities have been built on land provided by the state governments.
3. Accommodation in Mecca and Medina is decided keeping in mind the need to provide maximum convenience and comfort to the pilgrims. Typically, all accommodation has lifts, telephones, running water, electricity and telephone at the minimum. There is total computerisation of pilgrim location and movement.
4. For Haj 2007, a contingent of 115 doctors (including 63 specialists with post-graduate degrees) and 141 nurses and other para-medical staff, 3 coordinators, 46 assistant Haj officers, 165 Haj assistants and 186 Khadimul Hujjaj were sent from India on short-term deputation to Saudi Arabia. Special attention is given to medical facilities for the pilgrims.
5. Some of the facilities provided by the government are: arrangements for polio, meningitis and influenza vaccinations for pilgrims before departure; a 75-bed hospital and 12 branch offices-cum-dispensaries in Mecca; a 15-bed hospital and 6 branch offices-cum-dispensaries in Medina; three medical teams at Jeddah airport to provide medical care round the clock to Haj pilgrims; 17 ambulances in Mecca and Medina; supply of medicines, medical supplies and critical medical equipment from India. All this adds up to the total money spent by the government to facilitate a hassle-free Haj pilgrimage each year for tens of thousands of Muslims from India.
What is due to one community by logic and fair practice is due to another. And yet in a discriminatory treatment lakhs of pilgrims who have been going to Amarnath for years have been denied basic human facilities. The question is what took them so long to consider these facilities and not whether or not they should be provided.
There isn't any adequate medical and sanitary facilities for the pilgrims of Amarnath Shrine. As the agitation continues, it has been reported that a water bottle costing Rs 14 was sold at Rs 70. And a khacchar or a pony that took pilgrims at the cost of Rs 1,500 charged an abominable Rs 10,000. Compare this with the subsidies for Haj Pilgrims. Buses of pilgrims were also stoned by unruly elements.
The whole agitation was started by the Peoples Democratic Party on the absurd presumption that providing these basic facilities to the travelling pilgrims will result in a changed "eco-cultural character" of the state. Does this imply that Kashmir only has a "Muslim" character?
Kashmir originally and lawfully belongs to both Hindus and Muslims. Nevertheless, 4,00,000 Kashmiri Pandits were driven out of Kashmir and are living as refugees and now even the very thought of Hindus settling in Kashmir is creating such violent repercussions. Is this a sign of a secular, healthy, fair society?
Even if we were to presume that it has a Muslim character, how can travelling pilgrims possibly change eco-cultural character of a place. Can there be a likelihood of someone settling down at the height of 13,500 ft? There can not be any possibility of Hindus settling down in the proposed land.
It is ironical that though the Hindus are being denied basic hospitable facilities to enable their pilgrimage, the temporary, pre-fabricated shelters built by the Amarnath Shrine Board were dismantled and sent for emergency relief operations during the earthquake in Kashmir in October 2005. "About 60-70 pre-fab shelters were sent to Uri and Tangdhar, where they housed thousands," a senior Government official is reported to have said. "The Amarnath Board also sent pre-fab toilets. There was no objection from any political party at that point."
For centuries pilgrims have been making the arduous trip to Amarnath cave without any benefit from the state. They have to depend to private philanthropy for food, accommodation and other facilities. It is shameful that people have lived in torn taurpaulin tents. But a caring State in independent India can and should do more.
View online exhibition on exodus and selective killings of 4,00,000 Kashmiri Pandits from Kashmir at http://refugees-in-their-own-country.blogspot.com/.
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