The trek from Pahalgam to Amarnath Cave is on an ancient route. It takes four days to cover this 45-kilometre route which can at times be hazardous, if not intimidating. But when you know that you are in the lap of the captivating Himalayas and that thousands, perhaps millions of people, have walked on this path for centuries, and are still doing the same, it gives you an inner strength to move on. On this path have walked great saints like Shankaracharya, Swami Vivekananda and Swami Ramtirtha. On this path have walked the old and young, and will continue to do so for centuries to come.
There is an air of timelessness about the place. Everything here is so old and so new – the path, the journey, the hills, the glaciers, the cave, and the lingam. This is the place where legends are as old as the hills around you.
Parvati insisted to Lord Shiva to tell her the secret of His immortality. So, Lord Shiva embarked upon finding a place where no living being could reach and that only Parvati hears and stumbled upon a huge cave. In preparation for imparting the secret, He left Nandi, the bull, at Pahalgam and released the Moon from His hair at Chandanwari. At the banks of Lake Sheshnag, He released the snakes and decided to leave His son Ganesh at Mahagunas or Mahaganesh Parvat. Finally, at Panchtarni, Lord Shiva left the five elements. Then He entered Amarnath Cave with Parvati, sat on the deer skin and to ensure that no one was able to come near them, He created Rudra named Kalagni and ordered him to spread fire to eliminate all living beings around the cave. Then he narrated the secret of His immortality to Parvati. It so happened that an egg was lying underneath the deer skin. It is said that a pair of pigeons were born from it and became immortal. Pilgrims have reportedly seen the pigeons even today.
Situated at the confluence of the streams flowing from Sheshnag Lake and the Lidder River, Pahalgam at 2,130 m was once a humble shepherd’s village with breathtaking views. This is your starting point to Amarnath Cave. It is Kashmir’s premier resort; cool even during the height of summer when the maximum temperature does not exceed 250 C. A number of hotels and lodges cater to all preferences and budgets. The place gets lively during the tourist months of the summer, as well as during the weeks before the Amarnath Yatra, as the base for a big annual pilgrimage.
There is something about the pure and re-vitalizing air of Pahalgam. Perhaps the dense pines and cedar forests make it oxygen rich. Limited accessibility combined with limited telecom connectivity also makes it an ideal getaway from the grind of daily life and professional stress.
The distance from Pahalgam to Chandanwari is 12 kilometres which can take up to five hours. The route can be covered by road transport also. Mini buses are available from Pahalgam. The trail runs along the Lidder River, giving the entire journey a scenic value. Here is the first night halt. The main attraction at Chandanwari is a bridge which is perpetually covered by ice, though the surroundings are free from it.
Next day, you procede from Chandanwari, climbing the hills to reach Pissu Top, on your way to Sheshnag, your second halt. It is said that a great war took place on this spot between Devtas and Rakshas. With the power of Lord Shiva, the Devtas killed the Rakshas in such large numbers that a heap of their dead bodies resulted in this hill called Pissu Top.
The whole area from Chandanwari to Sheshnag is spectacular, primeval countryside. Sheshnag is a mountain which derives its name from its seven peaks, resembling the head of a mythical snake. The journey follows a steep incline on the right bank of a cascading stream and countryside untouched by civilization. The second night’s camp at Sheshnag overlooks the deep blue waters of Sheshnag Lake, and glaciers beyond it. Remember, these places are where legends are made and lived. There are legends of love and revenge associated with Sheshnag, and at the camp these are narrated by campfires. The stillness of a pine scented Himalayan night increases your inner joy.
From Sheshnag you climb the steep height up across Mahagunas Pass at 4276 m for a distance of four and a half kilometers and then descend to the meadow lands of Panchtarni at a height of 3657 m. The last night halt is made here on third day. Here one faces the cold winds which cause the skin to crack. Cold cream or petroleum jelly is very useful. The route to Mahagunas is full of rivulets, water falls and springs. Panchtarni is a very beautiful place in the feet of Bhairav Mount. The five rivers that flow here are said to have originated from Lord Shiva’s Hair (Jataon).
From Panchtarni to Amarnath Cave is a distance of 6 kilometres. An early morning start is recommended to avoid long queues at the entrance of the cave.
As you appear in front of the cave, you are impressed by the gaping hole in the mountain and overwhelmed by its size. The entrance to the cave is 40 yards across, the height 75 feet and it slopes down 80 feet inside the mountain. In the cave is the ice lingam of about 5 feet height, which forms during the summer days. Legend says that a shepherd Buta Malik received a bag full of coals from a saint. When he reached home and opened it, he found that the bag contained pieces of gold. He ran to thank the saint but the saint had gone. Instead, Buta Malik found this cave with the ice lingam in it.
Tradition has it that Rishi Bringesh told his disciples the significance of the cave and instructed them to do the pilgrimage. But his disciples were harassed by the rakshasas. Thereupon the rishi prayed to Lord Shiva and received a scepter that ensured safety. This scepter is now called Chari Mubarak. The traditional yatra arrives at the cave at Raksha Bandhan Poornima. The Chari is carried by the pilgrims to the cave.
For those on a journey of faith, it is a rewarding experience. But with more and more people taking this pilgrimage, the queues are often long and the darshan a hasty affair. But the wait and the darshan are worthwhile as it is the home of the Himalayan mendicant and the greatest of the Hindu deities. A brief reflection that once Lord Shiva sat here in this cave and that you are there is probably very rewarding. No wonder then that Sister Nivedita wrote long ago: “The place was vast and the great ice-Shiva was in a niche of the deepest shadow, sacred.”