Amarnath Yatra

Hello Everyone,

I am sure that most of you know about Amarnath Yatra. For the rest of you who don't know about it, let me explain. This is a pilgrimage that Hindus take every year to the shrine of Lord Shiva in Amarnath. Amarnath has a small cave in which a natural Shivalingam of snow appears every year. It is believed that if we see this Shivalingam in all its glory then we go to heaven after death. The pilgrimage itself is quite hard as the shine is on extreme altitude and the path is very rocky and difficult

I just wanted to know if anyone from this forum is planning to go on this yatra this year? I wanted to go but I think I am too old for it now.

Amarnath Yatra is one of the biggest celebrations for people in Kashmir. Even though most of us are Muslims, but they all take part in the arrangements of the yatra.

I have not gone to the actual shrine but have gone till Sheshnaag and let me tell you, it is the most beautiful place in the world. You actually feel like you are in heaven. The mountain scenery is exceptionally beautiful and you just don't want to come back from that place. Even this year, I am planning to travel some part of the yatra, if they allow me. I would like to complete the yatra, but being a muslim, I am not sure if that would be appropriate.

My friends are planning to go on this yatra this time. I also wanted to go but as I have asthma, doctors advised me not to take the risk. I really wish I could experience this fantastic journey at least once in my life.

Shahanakhan, I really appreciate your views. It is so nice to see when people talk and think above their religion. this yatra is not just about getting darshan of Shivji, but its also about going through hardships to feel oneness with God. And as we all know, God is one, you may call him Allah and we call him Bhagwan. Its all the same.

Saveourplanet,

You can try going to yatra by helicopter. Some of my friends went last year and they said that it makes the yatra a lot easier. It cuts it a lot shorter as you don't have to walk all the way to the shrine.

Happy Journey!!!

I have been to Amarnath when I was just 12 years old. You won't believe it but I did the entire yatra all by myself. I didn't take a khachchar or palki to finish the journey. I remember, the weather was awful and clouds had come to our knees.

We did darshan of Shivling in early morning and the scenery around the shrine was incredible. It was the most difficult, yet most enjoyable trip of my life. I still have the photographs of that trip and love to see them.

Amarnath - Shiva, in the form of a lingam, is formed naturally of an ice - stalagmite One of the holy trinity, Shiva is a living god. The most ancient and sacred book of India, the Rig Veda evokes his presence in its hymns. Vedic myths, ritual and even astronomy testify to his existence from the dawn of time.

Legend has it that Shiva recounted to Parvati the secret of creation in a cave in Amarnath. Unknown to them, a pair of doves eavesdropped on this conversation and having learnt the secret, are reborn again and again, and have made the cave their eternal abode. The annual yatra to Holy Amarnath Cave, situated at 14000 ft. above sea level, is organised by the Jammu & Kashmir State Government during the month of July and August. The intending pilgrims are allowed to perform darshan from Ashard Purnimashi to Shravan Purnimashi which course spreads over a month or so.

The annual yatra to Holy Amarnath Cave, situated at 14000 ft. above sea level, is organised by the State Government during the month of July and August. The intending pilgrims are allowed to perform darshan from Ashard Purnimashi to Shravan Purnimashi which course spreads over a month or so. With a view to work out and finalise different arrangements, a series of core meetings are held at Srinagar as well as Pahalgam (the base-camp for Amarnath Yatra). Among other issues connected with yatra, a decision is taken for regulating the yatra traffic within the prescribed daily ceiling as per Sen Gupta Report on both Pahalgam and Baltal routes .

Can someone add more information to it?

Wow Noor01,

Thanks for the information. Here's a little fact I just came to know yesterday. The shrine of Amarnath was discovered by a Muslim Shepherd. He had gone there to graze his sheep when he so the stalagmite shaped as a Shiv lingam. He came back told everybody about it. Later, he took everyone to the place and his family became the facilitator of the yatra.

Isn't it awesome!!!

It was a long time dream to go and worship the Endless God Lord amarnAtha swAmy. With lots of prayers to the Merciful Lord to bless by permitting to come to His holy abode, applied to a yatra service operating out of Chennai to participate in the pilgrimage to amarnath, a yatra many people from various parts do in love of their beloved Innocent Lord (! bhole nath). There is a registration procedure from the local state government of Jammu and Kashmir seeking the yatris to register themselves. The publication seeking this gets published in the month of June and yatris could do this registration through the J&K state tourism office in the major cities of India. The mind started counting out the days and started dreaming in eagerness the holy place to go.