STORY OF AMARNATH CAVE
Amarnath cave is located in Jammu and Kashmir. The cave is situated at an altitude of 3,888 m and about 141 km from Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir. The cave is surrounded by snowy mountains. The cave itself is covered with snow most of the year, except for a short period of time in summer when it is open to pilgrims. Hundreds of thousands of devotees make an annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave across challenging mountainous terrain.
Inside the Amarnath cave, a stalagmite is formed due to the freezing of water drops that fall from the roof of the cave onto the floor and grow upward vertically from the cave floor. It is considered to be a Shiva Linga. The lingam waxes during May to August, as snow melts in the Himalayas above the cave, and the resultant water seeps into the rocks that form the cave thereafter, the lingham gradually wanes.
A long time ago, it is believed that the Valley of Kashmir was submerged underwater, and Kashyap Muni drained it through a series of rivers and rivulets. As a result, 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 and the site of an annual pilgrimage, traditionally performed by lakhs of people in July and August. According to researchers and as per the belief of locals, the gadaria community were the first to discover the Amaranth cave and saw the first glimpse of Baba Barfani.
It is believed that Lord Shiva left Nandi, the bull, at Pahalgam (Bail Gaon). At Chandanwari, he released the Moon from his hair (Jata). On the banks of Lake Sheshnag, he released his snakes. At Mahagunas Parvat (Mahaganesh Mountain), he left his son Lord Ganesha. At Panjtarni, Lord Shiva left behind the five elements – Earth, Water, Air, Fire and Sky. As a symbol of sacrificing the earthly world, Lord Shiva performed the Tandava Dance. Then, finally, Lord Shiva entered the Holy Amarnath Cave along with Mata Parvati.