One of the holy shrines of the Hindus and located in the state of Jammu
and Kashmir is the
Amarnath. The
Amarnath Cave is
considered to be the abode of Lord
Shiva and Goddess
Parvati.
The
Amarnath Yatra, for which one has to trek at a height of
about 14,500 ft from the sea level, starts from the base village
Bailganv
(Pahalgam) and usually takes place in the Hindu month of
Shravan
(July-August). In the seat of Lord Amarnath, the image of Shiva, in the
form of a lingam, gets formed of ice every year. By its side are two
more ice-lingams, considered to be that of Parvati, and their son,
Ganesha. The climatic conditions of the region are very uncertain
because rain or snowfall may take place at any time during the Yatra.
Even then there is no stopping the thousands of devotees from flocking
to this God's abode with full thrill and joy. One will always feel his
presence on this paradise of the Earth, surrounded by beautiful valleys,
mountains and snow.
