Amarnath Yatra is one of the well known Yatra devoted to the Lord
Shiva or Mahadev located at the height of around four thousand
meters on the Amar Nath Mountain in Jammu & Kashmir. The Yatra
of Amarnath is popular pilgrimage site for Hindus from the old
days which is reported to be around 5000 years old. About
400,000 faithful devotees make their Yatra to Amarnath every
year during the festival of Shravan Mela in June to August.There
are several mythological stories related to Amarnath Yatra.
According to one of the mythological tales of Amarnath, it is
here in the cave of Amarnath Lord Shiva revealed the secrets of
immortality to his wife Parvati and therefore that place was
named Amreshwar and has become the a sanctuary of Hindu
community. Amarnath Yatra attracted the tourists mainly for the
Darshan of ice Shiva Linga along with two other ice formations
representing Shri Ganesh and Mata Parvati
Amarnath Yatra
Jammu - Baltal (400km).
The distance between Jammu and Baltal can be covered by Taxis /
Buses available at Tourist Reception Centre, J & K / bus stand
or one can come to Srinagar by air and then reach Baltal by
road. The road route followed is :
JAMMU - Udhampur - Kud - Patnitop - Ramban - Banihal - KaziGund
- Anantnag - Srinagar - Sonamarg - Baltal.
The journey from Jammu to Baltal which is about 400 kms. is full
of beautiful Sites and one can experience of being in Heaven , a
Paradise on earth. Passing through beautiful valleys, steeped
mountains, one is sure of forgetting , oneself as a person ,for
a while . A thrill, which is obviously there in every pilgrim
gets enhanced while passing through this way owing to the
Darshan of Holy Cave. In nutshell, a journey which can go down
to your memory throughout the lifetime.
Baltal to Holy Cave
From Baltal Holy Cave is just 14 Kms.
This distance can be covered by foot / Ponies. However, Dandies
are also available for handicapped and old aged pilgrims.
The width of the pebbled (kuchha) road is a bit narrow as
compared to the Chandanwari-Holy Cave route, moreover , there
are some steep rises & falls on the way , as compared to the
Chandanwari route, but pilgrims can return back to base camp
Baltal through this route only in one day.
Amarnath Yatra via Pahalgam
Pahalgam to Amarnathji cave is on an ancient peregrine route.
The 45 - km distance is covered in four days, with Nights halts
at Chandanwari, Sheshnag (Wawjan) and Panchtarni. The distance
from Pahalgam to Chandanwari (16 km) is now covered by motor
transport. The pilgrims camp here or at Pahalgam on the first
Nights out.
The first day's trek of 13 km from Chandanwari is through spectacular,
primeval countryside. The main centre of attraction on this trek
is Sheshnag, a mountain lake which derives its name from its
seven peaks, resembling the heads of a mythical snake. The
journey to Sheshnag follows steep inclines up the right bank of
a cascading stream and wild scenery untouched by civilisation.
The second Nights's camp at Wawjan overlooks the deep blue water
of Sheshnag lake, and glaciers beyond it. The lake is also
associated with legends of love and revenge, and at the camp
these are recounted by campfires, to the stillness of a
pine-scented, Himalayan Nights.
The second day's 12 km trek steadily gains height, winding up
across Mahagunas Pass at 4,600 m and then descending to the
meadow - lands of Panchtarni, the last camp enroute to the holy
cave.
From Panchtarni to Amarnathji is only 6 km, but an early
morning's start is recommended for there is a long queue
awaiting entrance to the cave. The same day, following darshan,
devotees can return to Panchtarni in time for lunch, and
continue to Wawjan to spend the fourth Nights out; or continue
further to Zojibal, returning to Pahalgam on the 4th day.
Entrance to the cave is regulated, and darshan a hasty affair
for there are many others waiting outside to pay homage before
the awesome Shivalingam. The devotees sing bhajans, chant
incantations, and priests perform aarti and puja, invoking the
blessing of Shiva, the divine, the pure, the absolute.
How
to Reach
Air:
The nearest aerodrome is Srinagar. Srinagar is a beautiful
valley having world famous sights to see, such as Dal Lake,
Nagina Lake, Shankaracharya Temple, Mughal Gardens and what not.
It is the most sought after tourist place. It is also known as
"Paradise on earth". Srinagar is summer capital of Jammu &
Kashmir. There are daily flights to Srinagar from Delhi and
Jammu. On some week days flights also pickup passengers from
Chandigarh and Amritsar .
Rail:
Jammu is the nearest Railway Station . Jammu is winter Capital
of Jammu & Kashmir. Jammu is a beautiful city and is also known
as "CITY OF TEMPLES". One may visit old temples such as
Raghunath Temple , Mahadev Mandir and other temples . It is well
connected with all stations of India.The various trains coming
to Jammu are listed here below.
Road:
Jammu and Srinagar are also connected through road. Buses and
Taxies are also available for this part of the journey .These
can be hired on daily as well as full tour basis. |