Amarnath Cave – Where Whispered Lord Shiva

At 3,888 metre height from the sea level, the Amarnath as a cave has enormous scientific importance. It is situated at 145 kms away from idyllic Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir. The cave is indeed famous for its stalagmite (pillar formed of ice) heap symbolised at the phallus of Bhagwan Shiva, the Hindu God of reproduction and destroyer.

Every year in the frosty thick of winters, the stalagmite takes form of the phallus and remains almost the same throughout the year. It is also called ‘Lingam’ in Sanskrit, symbolised as the Lord’s existence, and is worshipped by millions of Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains. The pilgrims travel across mountains partly by vehicles, and mostly by trekking on treacherous mountainous terrains during June to August. From July as the weather softens the trekking becomes more sporting and entertaining.

Bhagwan Shiva, being one of the most powerful gods among the Trinity of Hinduism – other two being Bhagwan Brahma the Creator and Bhagwan Vishnu the Preserver – is mentioned in the Rig Veda with His celebrated companions. An aloof ascetic, clad in spotted deerskin or tigerskin, Lord the Destroyer who is also prayed as Maheshwar Trident, symbolic of a weapon to punish the evil perpetrators. His consort, Parvati, and his son, the elephant-head God of Success (Siddhi Vinayaka) Ganesha keep carries a His company. Lord Ganesha, as the mythology has it, is worshipped before worshipping every other god, including Lord Maheshwar, to whom belongs the Cave Amarnath.

As the legend has it, Parvati, who symbolises all mothers on earth, asked Lord Shiva of His secret of immortality. Resisting for quite sometime, the Lord Shiva who is epitomised in Hinduism as the most valour, most handsome and the most coveted as husband failed to desist his beloved consort Parvati and promised to disclose the secrets only to her and that too at a very secret place, lest anybody overhears Him. Thus began his search for the Isolated Place.

He took Her to an arduous trek up the mountainous terrains in the massive Himalayas, left His carrier Nandi, the Bull, at Pahalgam (derived from ‘Bail Gaon’ meaning the village of the bull), released His moon from His locks of hairs at Chandanwari – a sacred peak now, all his snakes at Sheshnag – another sacred peak, asked Ganesha to stay put at Mahagunas Peak – derived from Maha Ganeshas Churha, dropped the five elements which He always carried with his body – these are Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Sky – at Panchatarani (coined to and reached the Isolated Spot mean five waves of power which was a massive cave.

Ensconced in the cave, first He meditated on His animal skin seat, then lit devastating fire to destroy all living organism around Them so nobody could hear His Secrets, thereafter began narrating His Secrets of Immortality to His consort Parvati.

Strangely enough, an egg of a pigeon, hidden in His deer skin, had somehow escaped the fire. As the Lord was narrating His Secrets, the two still-born birds within the pigeon egg overheard Him. They were born with the Knowledge. The Secrets were described in Shiv Purana as ‘Amar Katha’ meaning the story of immortality. Since then the spot in the cave came to be known as Amarnath, which otherwise connotes to be the Immortal Lord. At that spot would also be seen a pair of white pigeons, ensconced always within the view of the pilgrims.

UNIQUE CREATION OF NATURE

(The Holy Cave is 45 metres high, 27 metres long and has about six natural ice formations symbolised and worshipped as gods. The largest Lingam is worshipped as lord Shiva. There are two others worshipped as Goddess Parvati, and Lord Ganesha, their son.

According to scientific studies, the ‘Lingam’ and other iceformations are actually stalagmites formed after steady dripping of water through a hole in the roof of the cave. According to an American scholar of ‘Religion’, any natural feature which occurs but man fails to define that is generally accorded divinity, and the ‘Lingam’ was just another in that line of thoughts.

In similar traits are also defined the reincarnation, which draws pilgrims to an everlasting caravan of travels. In the process it is popularly believed that more arduous would be one’s journey to the holy clime, more elaborate would be the treks, better would be the chances of reincarnation of the Lord and more would be the piety earned in one’s life. This is one reasons why many devouts ignore the icy clime during their treks, and go barefoot with much less clothes. Of late, however, pilgrims are meticulously cautioned against maverick sense of realism and advised to wear climate-friendly dresses even as they would maintain ritualistic fervour.

There is still a school of believers who say the stalagmite was first discovered by an ascetic Maharshi Bhrigu, who thereafter sent serpent named Takhshaka to take Darshan of the ‘Lingam’ and even gave him a stick measure its height. The Takshaka did exactly that and the stick later symbolically came to be known as an embodiment of the cave. The stick today is made of silver. The procession of the stick every year starts as a procession of ‘Chharhi Mubaraka’, ‘Chharhi’ means stick.

The pilgrimage begins from Pahalgam, about 97 kms from Srinagar. It reaches Sheshnag spot, about 16 kms up the hill from Pahalgam. At the altitude of 2,896 metres is situated Chandanwari, where the pilgrims take their shelter as a base camp. There is a snov bridge which is generally a big draw among the pilgrims.

HOW TO REACH MOUNT KAILASH

From the first base camp the pilgrims have to take to the steep trekking. At a peak level is Pissoo Ghati up at 3,377 metres. A glacier will greet with icy cold breeze in the terrain.

Journey here is slower because of gradually steeper treks. First Jogipal, then the emerald lake, Sheshnag, on whose waters reflects the silver-look glacier with all its magnanimity. The final base camp is at Panchatarani, where Lord Shiva had released all the five elements He had captivated and put them under His control. Panchatarani is the final step to trek up at an altitude of over 4,000 metres, where exactly the Holy Cave exists. Panchatarani also has a river by the name created out of ever flowing streams coming down from snow-covered hills and glaciers. The clime runs steep along Amar Ganga, probably a tributary of Panchatarani, and amid cliffs.

Below is mentioned the easiest way to reach the Holy Cave.

• Pahalgam to Panchatarani via Srinagar, Jogipal, Chandanwari, Sheshnag, Pissoo Ghati. Altitude is above 2,500 metres, whereBthe pressure of air is also very heavy, with less oxygen.
• Panchatarani to Amarnath Cave via Amar Ganga plain atop the mountain. For return journey, the trek is less difficult, and made comparatively comfortable with many religious organisations coming handy to help the pilgrims. The route is as under.
• The first route of Amarnath to Srinagar is via Barari, Domail, Baltal and Sonamarg.

The trek from Srinagar to Sonamarg is ridden with difficult steps. From Sonamarg at 15 kms distance is Baltal, an idyllic valley at the Jogila Pass in which nestles Amaravati stream falling straight from the Amaranath cave to merge with the river Sindhu.

The terrains are not approachable by any vehicle. The last stop is Srinagar, where there is airstrip for flights and road junctions. As the terrain is hostile and difficult to approach every tourist must keep be prepared for sudden change in weather, which might even dip to below minus five degree Celsius (-5°C).

The scenery at the top Pahalgam increasingly unfold with newer resplendence, and change every other minutes. So a handycam would be an ideal camera to preserve the lifetime experience. Generally, the distance from Pahalgam to Amarnath is covered in four days, albeit slow trekking, yet for better moves for capturing the Nature’s ever new dawning, it is ideal to trek slower with a longer programme, should the authorities clear the request. Better photography and better unfolding of the eco-system is possible.

FACTS A PILGRIM MUST KNOW

• Registration with the government agencies for the trekking is a must Collect the Registration Identity Slips and preserve it on person. This would ensure them get BSF and religious organisations’ hospitality and helps. The hospitalities include rooms and cons made available at camps, government guest houses, cir cuit houses and the like.
• A traveller has to be physically fit to trek and climb those hostile terrains. So infirm pilgrims are discour aged from going for the Amarnath Yatra.
• A traveller must acclimatise well enough before embarking upon the difficult trekking up the moun tainous toutes. Often they would encounter breathing problems as the Air pressure is very high there.
• Warm clothes should be light but very warm or the chilly wind and sudden snow rain would made life miserable.
• Nutritious dry fruits, biscuits, chocolates and similar foods must be carried to the treks in sufficient quantity, as normal foods can only be light fried things there.
• Shoes have to be strong but very light and comfortable. Trekking has to be supported by strong walking sticks, torches, very light but strong rains coats, windcheaters . and essential medicines such as anti-diarrhoeal, antipyretic, anti-inflammation, antiseptic, bandages, kneecaps, anklets etc. Also carry enough money to spend on emergencies.
• Never ignore the road signs, roadside instructions, warnings about avalanches, falling rocks, quakes and similar hazards which may occur any time without the slightest notice. While trekking pilgrims must move in groups, and never singularly.

STAGES OF TREKKING

• First: PAHALGAM TO CHANDANWARI – Generally trekking for 4 hrs.
• Second: CHADANWARI TO SHESHNAG – Average time 5 to 6 hrs.
• Third: SHESHNAG TO PANCHATARANI – Average trekking time 6 hrs.
• Fourth: PANCHATARANI TO AMARNATH – Average time is 5 hrs.

With passing of Chandanwari the primeval countryside is also passed. There begins the charming self-generating ecosystem untouched by man’s order. The spot of Sheshnag lake reflects the mythological giant immortal serpent-king which served Lord Vishnu covering Him with its canopy of hood and sheltering Him for reclining on its body as a couch; it also resembles very accurately with the Serpent-King Basuki which fanged out its seven-mouthed hood as an umbrella over newborn Krishna in the turbulent sea to protect the newborn and His biological father Vasudev from the torrential showers and the typhoon. Lord Krishna was the incarnation of Lord Vishnu in the Dwapar Yuga.

The Sheshnag lake was so called right after the serpent-king because of the lake’s unique situation in the middle of seven peaks resembling seven hoods of Sheshnag. The waters of the Lake is blue and very deep. In the second base camp at Wawjan the glaciers create a mysterious backgrounder when reflected in the blue waters. Over the illuminating warm campfire legends of the lake and many histories of love, revenge and hate are memorised by the yatris, who have studied the feats of the mythological times of the gods.

Usual Yatra begins from Pahalgam – Chandanwari Sheshnag Panchatarani Amarnath. Tourists generally touch Katra and Mata Vaishno Devi temple, Jammu on both sides of the journey. While this is an accepted and well protected route, the government never encourages any other route for trying.

As the last base campsite Panchatarani nears, during the journey through over 4600 metre from the sea level, the yatris feel the shivering sensation of supernatural reality. The trek is just over 12 kilometre from the Sheshnag Lake site, through the Mahagunas Pass, which leads to a descending meadow of Panchatarani.

Many try to return the same day, finishing the entire yatra in five days, walking back to Pahalgam. During the Yatra, elaborate arrangements are made for yatris by the authorities, both for comfort and protection.

Besides, Pahalgam, there is another route to trek up to the Holy Cave. It is through Sonamarg to Baltal; and from Baltal straight to Amarnath Cave. The division of trekking time is made according to tenacity of the pilgrims.

First: From Sonamarg to Baltal: It is a trekking for about 15 kms. Ass there is not much of the altitude in this strip the walk is comfortable without any strain. Even a lift on a truck to a roadblock area would suit fine with a small group of pilgrims. The roadblock is created to gather pilgrims in large groups for safety and easy location purposes. The traffic here comes also from Zoji La from Ladakh region. There are BSF and Army camps strewn all around both in uniform as well as in plain dresses to take care of the pilgrims. The posts are all accessible from Srinagar within a daylong trek, if not by vehicles.

Second: From Baltal to Amarnath : This route has comparatively many steeps at heights of 4,175 and near the Holy Cave. From Baltal the steep is 2,743 metres high and rises straight to the Cave height. It is about a 10-hour arduous hard trekking up the mountain peaks, which passes through a major snow bridge over a ferociously flowing river and rises further up. It crosses thereafter a pass called Satsingh Pass just about three and a half kms from the Holy Cave. Advantage is there are tea stalls jotting the entire road.

There are options in this route while returning. The climb down can be possible from Amarnath to Baltal and Sonamarg from along the pilgrim trail as far as one reaches the point where Panchatarani and Amaravati rivers meet. The route diverts here towards Baltal ahead of the valley. This route is not free from natural disasters such as avalanches or locational tremors or even falling of huge rocks. These are the reasons this route is generally avoided and the authorities keep on cautioning pilgrims about this route. So climbing down this strip is always more adventurous than any other. One gets regular bus services from Baltal.