𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞, 𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐮 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐊𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐢𝐫

Amarnath Temple, Jammu and Kashmir

Amarnath cave is a Hindu shrine located in Jammu and Kashmir, India. The cave is situated at an altitude of 3,888 m (12,756 ft), about 141 km (88 mi) from Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir and reached through Pahalgam town. The shrine forms an important part of Hinduism, and is considered to be one of the holiest shrines in Hinduism. The cave is surrounded by snowy mountains. The cave itself is covered with snow most of the year except for a short period of time in summer when it is open for pilgrims. Hundreds of thousands of Hindu and other devotees make an annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave across challenging mountainous terrain.
The Amarnath temple is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas, temples throughout South Asia that commemorate the location of fallen body parts of the Hindu deity Sati.

HISTORY OF AMARNATH TEMPLE

According to legend, Bhrigu Muni was the first to have discovered Amarnath. Long time ago it is believed that The Valley of Kashmir was submerged under water and Kashyap Muni drained it through a series of rivers and rivulets. Therefore, when the waters drained, Bhrigu Muni was the first to have Darshan of Lord Amarnath. Thereafter, when people heard of the Lingam, it became an abode of Lord Bholenath for all believers and a pilgrimage which is done by lakhs of people each year. According to the researchers and as per the belief of locals gadaria community were the first to discover the Amaranth cave and saw the first glimpse of Baba Barfani.

SECRETS OF AMARNATH TEMPLE

1.) THE IMPORTANCE OF VARIOUS STOPS OF THIS JOURNEY:

According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva started his journey from Pahalgam. In here he left his bull Nandi. Then in Chandanwari, he left the moon from his forehead. In Sheshnag he left his snakes. He left his son Lord Ganesha at Mahaguna hills. Then he left five essential elements of Earth, Air, Water, Fire and Sky at Panjtarni. After leaving all his belonging at these different spots, he went to the cave only with his consort Devi Parvati.

2.) THE IMMORTAL PIGEON PAIR:

When Lord Shiva was telling the secret of immortality to his consort no living beings were there in the cave. Lord Shiva destroyed all the living things around before telling the secret of immortality. Only a pair of pigeon egg and a parrot egg was there and as they were not living or dead, he spares them. However, a Sage Vasudeva somehow came to know that Shiva is going to tell the secret. To know that secret, he entered into the parrot egg. While Lord Shiva was telling the secret mantra, Devi Parvati fall asleep but Shiva could not notice it. The pigeon eggs were hatched during that time and were making noise and he thought that Devi Parvati is making that noise. When he finished telling the secrets, he saw that Parvati is sleeping and the newborn pigeon and Sage Vasudeva learned the secret. He then ran after Vasudeva to kill him but other gods remind him that Vasudeva is now immortal. By that time Vasudeva was hiding inside at pregnant womb. After all gods’ prayer when Shiva cooled down, he came out of the womb and left for his heavenly adobe. The pair born from the pigeon’s egg becomes immortal as well. The pair can be still seen in that cave.

3.) THE SWAYAMBHU SHIV LINGA:

The ice linga inside the cave forms automatically with the lunar cycle and this is “Swayambhu” process. Hindus believe that this is a miracle of Lord Shiva only. The cave is 5000 years old and it also has another two lingas. These two lingas represent Devi Parvati and Lord Ganesha.