05/07/2022
AMARNATH YATRA, a history from 1898 to 1955. 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 itself is covered with snow most of the year except for a short period of time in summer when it is open for pilgrims. The Amarnath temple is one of 18 Maha Shakti Peethas, or "Grand Shakti Peethas" – highly revered temples throughout South Asia that commemorate the location of fallen body parts of the Hindu deity Sati.
The Amarnath Cave has a special significance in the Hindu religion. As per legend, Lord Shiva had chosen this cave to describe the secrets of immortality and formation of the universe to Maa Parvati.
Maa Parvati asked – why are you immortal and I keep on dying again and again? Lord Shiva said that this is due to the Amar Katha. Maa Parvati insisted to hear that Amar Katha and after convincing Lord for a long time, Lord Shiva decided to narrate that story to Maa Parvati.
To narrate the story, Lord Shiva started looking for an absolutely lonely place so that no living being can hear that Amar Katha except for Maa Parvati. He finally found the Amarnath Cave. To reach there, He left all his belonging on the way like His bull Nandi at Pahalgam, His Moon at Chandanwari, His snakes at the banks of Lake Sheshnag, His son Ganesha at Mahagunas Parvat and at Panjtarni, He left his Five Elements (Earth, Fire, Water, Air and Sky).
After this, Lord Shiva entered in this holy Amarnath Cave with Maa Parvati. Lord Shiva sat on the Deer Skin and took a samadhi. To further make sure that not even a single living being could hear the secret Amar Katha, He created a rudra named Kalagni and ordered him to set fire around the cave so that everything living around that place could be destroyed. He then started narrating the story of immortality to Maa Parvati. But in spite of all these efforts, one egg remained protected under the deer skin on which the Lord was sitting. But it was considered as non-living. A pair of pigeons was born out of that egg and supposedly became immortal. Pilgrims can still see the pigeon pair while going towards the Amarnath Cave.
Discovery of Holy Cave
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.
With the passage of time devotees did not take much effort to undergo this arduous and dangerous pilgrimage and the pilgrimage stopped altogether.
According to folklore the cave was rediscovered by a Shepherd named Buta Malik who was a Muslim, in 1850s. He had been grazing his cattle in the mountains when a Sufi Saint gave him a bag of charcoal , which turned out to be gold later. He went back to thank the saint but instead found the cave and the Shiva Linga . He informed all and the authorities that be . Maharaja Ranbir Singh a devote Hindu after learning about the scared holy cave performed yatra and from then onwards Amarnath Yatra became a yearly ritual. The descendants of Buta Malik had been the custodian of the shrine since. Priests of Dashnami Akahra and Purohit Sabah Mattan have been taking care of the holy cave till 2000AD. Thereafter that Malik Family and other organisations were evicted and the The Amarnath Shrine Board was formed to look after the affairs of the shrine.
(Photographs have been uploaded according to the important location enroute the Yatra from Pahalgam to the Holy Cave. We have also included a few photograph of the northern route of the Yatra from Baltal Side, which Maharaja Partap Singh under took in the year 1908. Omission if any are regretful and we are open to correction). (It's shared from Showkat Rasheid Wani 's original post and not verified with other related contemporary stoeies/manuscripts. So stories might not naturally match with facts).
