"For those who journey with faith, it is a rewarding experience, this simple visitation to a cave-shrine, the home of the Himalayan mendicant who is both destroyer and healer, the greatest of the Hindu God"
Anantnag District is famous for the Amarnathji
cave situated at Mount Amarnath whose altitude is about 5,486m above sea level.
The world famous shrine of Amarnathji is situated about 48 Kms. from Pahalgam and
attracts devotees from
all over India. It is located in the upper reaches of District
Anantnag at an altitude of about 13,000 ft. from the sea level. Because of this
height, the cave is covered with snow for most of the year. Only for a short period
in summer, the entrance is accessible. The cave is an ice cave, it contains a certain
amount of ice stalagmites.
The cave is a holy place for Hindu pilgrims,
because of its ice content. The ice pillar present inside the cave is also called
ice lingham, the phallic symbol
of Lord Shiva. Two smaller ice stalagmite represent Parvati, his wife, and Ganesha,
his son. The Hindu pilgrims also believe, that the height of the lingham increases
and decreases with the phases of the moon. In the month of Shravan, on the full
moon in August, thousands of Hindus go on a pilgrimage up to the cave. At this time
the lingam reaches its biggest size.
The majority community in the district always welcomes the devotees with wide open
arms, while the yatries are on their way to and from the cave. Enroute one
come across scenic beauty of Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panjtarni.
The temples of Mattan, Martand, Anantnag and Bijbehara which fall enroute are also
worth seeing.