In spite of the Kashmir Valley being on the boil, the annual Amarnath pilgrimage goes on without interruption. However, the devotees who had travelled to the cave-temple, situated at an altitude of 12,729 feet, in the past few days, returned disappointed as the ice stalagmite that forms a natural Shivalingam has melted almost completely.
Though the concerned authorities are tight-lipped over the development, several pilgrims who have just been to Amarnath confirmed that the naturally formed ice lingam “does not exist anymore as it has melted”. Priests had two weeks ago warned that because of the unprecedented rush of pilgrims and rising temperatures, the ice lingam may cease to exist in the coming days. The yatra, which began on July 1, is scheduled to conclude on August 24.
As reported in this newspaper earlier, a priest had said on July 22, after returning from Amarnath, that the Shivalingam “has been reduced to half within a fortnight mainly because of the huge rush of pilgrims”.
Meanwhile, 3,962 pilgrims left the Nunwan (Pahalgam] base camp for the cave-temple on Monday while another 3,267 left the Baltal starting point for Amarnath. As many as 3,96,720 devotees have paid obeisance at Amarnath so far this year. J&K governor N.N. Vohra, who is also the shrine board chairman, visited the Baltal base camp on Sunday to oversee arrangements.