ASIANOVERLAND.NET SYDNEY TO LONDON  DAY 113/321/25: PAHALGAM TO AMARNATH CAVE, KASHMIR, INDIA

Pahalgam is a popular tourist destination and hill station in Kashmir. Its lush green meadows and pristine waters attract tourists from all over the world each year.  Pahalgam is the base camp for the annual Amarnath Yatra festival.

Amarnath cave is a Hindu shrine at an altitude of 12,756 ft, about 141 km  from Srinagar,  and reached through Pahalgam. The shrine forms an important part of Hinduism, and is  one of the holiest shrines in Hinduism. The cave is surrounded by snowy Himalayan mountains and covered with snow most of the year, except for a short period of time in summer when it is open for pilgrims.

Inside the 130 ft high Amarnath cave, a stalagmite is formed due to freezing of water drops that fall from the roof of the cave on to the floor and grows up vertically from the cave floor. It is considered to be a Shiva Linga by Hindus which grows and subsides with the moon, sun and seasons. In the ancient Hindu text of Mahabharata, Lingam represents Lord Shiva.

Hindus believe the Valley of Kashmir was originally submerged underwater, and Sage Kashyapa drained it through a series of rivers and rivulets. When the waters drained, a Hindu sage saw the lingam of Shiva at Amarnath Cave.

Thereafter, when people heard of the lingam, Amarnath Cave became Shiva’s home for all believers and the site of an annual pilgrimage, traditionally performed in July and August.

Thousands of Hindu and other devotees make an annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave. A donkey or pony ride is the best way to get there, but it isn’t a hard trek.

Lord Shiva imparted the secret of immortality to Parvati in Kashmir. 

Shiva ('The Great God') is one of the principal deities of Hinduism, and is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hinduism.

Shiva is known as "The Destroyer" within the Hindu trinity which also includes Brahma and Vishnu.  Shiva is the Supreme Lord who creates, protects and transforms the universe. In the goddess-oriented Shakta tradition, the Supreme Goddess (Devi) is regarded as the energy and creative power (Shakti) and the equal complementary partner of Shiva.

Shiva has many aspects, benevolent as well as fearsome. In benevolent aspects, he is an omniscient Yogi who lives an ascetic life  with his wife Parvati and his three children, Ganesha, Kartikeya and Ashokasundari. In his fierce aspects, he is depicted slaying demons. Shiva is also known as Adiyogi (the first Yogi), and the patron god of yoga, meditation and the arts.

The iconographical attributes of Shiva are the serpent Vasuki around his neck, the adorning crescent moon, the holy river Ganga flowing from his matted hair, the third eye on his forehead (the eye that turns everything in front of it into ashes when opened), the trident as his weapon, and the damaru drum.

It is believed that Shiva left Nandi, the bull, at Pahalgam (Bail Gaon). At Chandanwari, he released the Moon from his hair (Jata). On the banks of Lake Sheshnag, he released his snake. At Mahagunas Parvat (Mahaganesh Mountain), he left his son Ganesha. At Panjtarni, Shiva left behind the five elements - Earth, Water, Air, Fire and Sky. As a symbol of sacrificing the earthly world, Shiva performed the Tandava Dance. Finally, Shiva entered the Amarnath Cave along with Parvati, and both of them manifested into a Lingam made of ice. Shiva became the lingam of ice and Parvati became the yoni of cave rock.

Our 1980 westbound overland Trip Book records: 

“12th October, 1980

The stone & gem man came around after breakfast – which stalled everybody till lunch time – the stones were very beautiful.

Peter lashed out & bought a whole bunch of rings – after being talked out of buying a whole bunch of knuckle busters.

The trip to the gardens were very enjoyable.

Nobody had any money to buy souveniers – let alone a cup of tea. - A very cheap day.

This was a day I went on a trek from Pahalgam  and the donkey slipped & unfortunately my bag containing camera equipment fell down a cliff. Irretrievable.

The bummer is it was full of film. ‘Exposed film’

Thank goodness I’m insured.”

↑ Day 320 ↓ Day 322