Amarnath Temple Location – Amarnath cave is considered one of the most revered pilgrimage sites of Hindus. This journey is considered very sacred in Hinduism. Devotees of Lord Bholenath await this journey with great enthusiasm. So let’s know Where Is Amarnath Temple Located –
Amarnath Temple Location – Where Is Amarnath Located
Amarnath or Amarnath temple is located at an altitude of 3888 meters in the Jammu and Kashmir state of India. Thousands of devotees visit Amarnath every year.
Amarnath is a major pilgrimage site of Hinduism. It is located at an altitude of 13,600 feet above sea level, 135 km north-east of Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir state of India. The length (depth inside) of this cave is 19 meters and the width is 16 meters, the cave is 11 meters high.
Amarnath cave is one of the most prominent religious places of Lord Shivashambu. Amarnath is called the pilgrimage of pilgrimages because it is here that Lord Shiva told Mother Parvati the secret of immortality.
Inside the Amarnath cave is a Shivling made of ice. People who believe in Hinduism believe that the lingam made of ice is the presence of Lord Shiva in the cave. Not only this, it is also believed that this lingam expands and contracts according to the phases of the moon.
How to reach Amarnath cave
There is another special thing in the Amarnath cave, which attracts everyone and that is the presence of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Parvati inside the cave. Actually, the structure of Goddess Parvati and Lord Ganesha is also made right next to the lingam of Lord Shiva, Hindus also have religious faith in them.
The nearest airport to the Amarnath cave is Srinagar, which is well connected to major cities of India. Taxis can be hired from the airport to reach Pahalgam or Baltal base camp. If you are doing a road trip from Jammu, you can hire a taxi or take a bus to Pahalgam or Baltal.
The journey from Jammu to Pahalgam takes about 8 to 9 hours, while the journey from Jammu to Baltal takes about 10 to 11 hours. The nearest railway station to the Amarnath cave is Jammu Tawi Railway Station. From here you can hire a taxi or take a bus to Pahalgam or Baltal.
Two routes for Amarnath Yatra
The traditional and most popular route to the Amarnath cave goes through Pahalgam. From Pahalgam, you can start the journey on foot or by hiring a pony or palanquin. The trek is about 46 km long and takes about 2 to 3 days to complete. It is advisable to start early in the morning to avoid the crowd and one should take breaks in between.
The second route to reach the Amarnath cave goes through Baltal. This route is short but very challenging as it involves steep climbs and rough terrain. To reach the Amarnath cave from Baltal, one can trek or hire a pony. The trek from Baltal is about 14 km long and can be completed in a day.
Important points for devotees going on Amarnath Yatra
Devotees can register online for Amarnath Yatra. For this you have to go to jksasb.nic.in. After this, you have to first fill the application form here.
After filling the application form, you have to verify it with the OTP received on your mobile. After this, after completing all the formalities, you will get the registration information through SMS.
Keep in mind that after filling the application form, you will also have to make a fee payment. After this you will get the permit for the journey, which you can also download in your mobile phone.
According to the guidelines of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, only people between 13 and 75 years can go on Amarnath Yatra. Pregnant women are not allowed to travel.
History of Amarnath Cave
The history of Amarnath Cave is also quite interesting, according to which there was a shepherd named Buta Malik who first discovered the Amarnath cave. However, the book ‘Rajtarangini’ mentions the Amarnath Temple (Amreshwar) and people believe that Queen Suryamati presented trident, Banaling and holy symbols to the Amarnath temple in the 11th century AD and when Buta Malik discovered the cave again in the 15th century, people forgot the story of Queen Suryamati.
It is said that Buta Malik was given a bag full of coal by a saint and when he returned home, he found gold coins in the bag instead of coal. Buta was completely shocked to see this. After this, he returned to the same place where he met the saint to thank him. However, the saint was not found there but a cave with Shivling was found. At this time the Amarnath cave was discovered. Since then it became a major place for pilgrimage among Hindus.
However, there are some epics in which a different story of Amarnath is heard. It is said that thousands of years ago the valley of Kashmir was under water and Kashyap Rishi took it out from between various rivers and streams. During the same time, Bhrigu Rishi visited the Himalayas and became the first person to visit the holy Amarnath cave. After this, the villagers got to know about this and from there it became a pilgrimage site. Since then a large number of devotees started the Amarnath Yatra from rugged areas in search of eternal happiness.
Amarnath Yatra is not an easy journey. Baba Barfani meets every devotee of his, but the journey is full of extreme difficulties. During this difficult journey, the devotees move forward chanting Baba’s praises. The entire valley is painted in Baba’s colours. The atmosphere is full of devotion everywhere. After having Baba’s darshan, the devotees feel eternal happiness. It is believed in Hinduism that after completing this journey, every wish asked from Baba is fulfilled.