Amarnath Cave Temple Tour

A meandering trek along a scenic route takes you to Amarnath Cave Temple, one of the most sacred Hindu pilgrimages in India. Perched at a height of around 3,888m and 45kms away from Pahalgam, Amarnath Temple is considered to be the earthly dwelling of Lord Shiva. Thousands of devotees undertake an arduous trek through the rough Himalayan gorges to reach the cave temple and make offerings to the deity.

The Legend of Amarnath
Amarnath Cave Temple has been worshipped since times immemorial and the references to the cave have been found in the Puranas and many other ancient Hindu texts. According to a Hindu legend, it is believed that Amarnath is the place where Lord Shiva explained the secret of immortality to his wife & divine consort Goddess Parvati. He left his son, his ride, his snake and all the elements of nature before entering the cave and created a holy fire to burn any living thing in the cave to protect the secret of immortality.

However, a couple of pigeon eggs survived the fire and quietly hatched & heard the secret. Pilgrims sometimes spot a pair of pigeons near the cave. It?s a popular belief that the two pigeons who overheard Shiva's secret became immortal and have made the cave their eternal home.

The ancient cave has many more legends and lore attached to it and has been an age-old holy sanctum.

The Sacred Cave
An epic tale goes that the valley of Kashmir was fully submerged under water and was a huge lake. Sage Kashyap drained it by creating several rivers and rivulets. Once the valley was exposed, the cave of Amarnath was noted by Bhrigu Rishi on his way to the Himalayas. Since then, Amarnath Cave Temple has been a famous pilgrimage.

The holy cave lies at the farther end of the Lidder Valley and is about 75 ft high and at least 80 ft deep. It is buried under the snow throughout the year except in summers when the snow melts enough to make it accessible. The cave enshrines a naturally formed snow encrusted Shiv Lingam, which is believed to wax and wane with the lunar cycle.

Best Time to Visit
The Amarnath Cave Temple Tour starts in the month of July and closes sometime in August. The dates depend on the Hindu calendar and are announced by Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board that manages the temple.

How to Reach
By Air- Srinagar Airport, around 80kms from Sonmarg and around 92kms form Pahalgam, is the closest airport. From there you may choose to take Sonmarg-Baltal Route or Pahalgam-Chandanwari Track.
By Rail- Jammu Railway Station, around 255kms from Pahalgam, is the closest railhead connecting the valley to the rest of India. By Road- A good network of roads & highways connect the various cities in the Kashmir Valley. Helicopter Tours- Helicopter services are available from Neelgrath to Pachtarni, which is around 6kms from the cave shrine. The rest of the 6kms may be covered on foot, on a pony or on a palanquin.

Whether you are a believer, a devotee, a mythology buff or a nature lover; Amarnath Cave Temple Tour is a fascinating experience. A compelling journey, where travelers brave sub zero temperatures to trek through glaciers and high altitude mountain passes to reach the holy shrine of Amarnath. The journey is long & arduous and is certainly not for the fainthearted but it?s equally spiritual, stunning and rewarding.