I
am writing the document just to recall my experience of the great Holy Amarnath
yatra. This may be helpful for people who prefer to do this yatra in future too.
The document written below is still in its initial stage. I will keep editing
this document to make it beautiful..
Your
suggestions are always welcome.
Preperations / Items for yatra:
Thermals,
Dry fruits(Grapes, almond, cashews, Dates), Glucose, Medecines (Moove spray,
antibiotic, citrizin, indigestion, vicks, Nostril, Hajmola), Airpillow, Monkey
cap, Glowse, Pullover, Jacket, Raincoat
1Backpack(2
tshirt, 1 pant packed in polythene ), 2
or 3 polythene bags, 1 Shawl, 4 full shirt, 4 T-shirt, 4 pant, + night dress,
Bedsheet 1, Brush / paste, soap, Shaving set, etc
Document(DL,
pan card etc) Socks, Torch(small)
Emrgency
number : Valid Post-paid cellular connection (Preferred BSNL)
My Experience, along with some
other inputs for the Holy Amarnath Yatra.
On the
3rd week of July 2011 we went on Amarnath Yatra. It was one of the best experience
of my life. Going to Amarnath is one of the greatest pilgrimage for people of
hindu religion. I have written about my experiences during this Yatra.
In Hindu
religion it is believed that a person get inspired to go on a pilgrimage only
when the God calls that person. And it is also believed that without God's
blessings one can not complete his/her pilgrimage un-hindered.
So for
the first time in my life I got inspired to visit the sacredAmarnath
cave in Kashmir this year. In India, visiting this sacred cave is
described as doing Amarnath Yatra, and the pilgrims doing this yatra are
called Amarnath Yatries. The Amarnath Yatries address each other
as BHOLE. BHOLE is the popular name of Lord Shiva who appears in the
form of Ice-Shiva-Linga every year in the sacred Amarnath Cave. So a
devotee of BHOLE becomes BHOLE - such is the generosity of Lord Shiva on his
devotees. This year (2011 A.D) , the Amarnath Yatra started on 29th June. Huge
number of people from throughout India got inspired to do the Amarnath Yatra
this year, to see ( to do the darshana of) the Shiva Linga
through their own eyes. Doing the darshana of the Ice Shiva Linga is a
blessing. And no hindu wants to be deprived of it because Lord Shiva is one of
the Supreme Gods in Hinduism.
When the
thought of doing the Amartnath Yatra got germinated in our soul by Shiv Ji's (
a respectful way to address someone in hindi is to add Ji after his name) blessings,
we formed a group of 22 member’s team, and applied to the Amarnath Shrine board
for the pass via J&K Bank, K.S.Rao road branch, Mangalore. Then, we went to
meet people who had done this yatra in the past. They advised us to take woolen
cloths with us, as it is very cold in the mountains even during the summer.
They said to us that rains also come very often during the yatra. So we bought
rain coats as well. A friend from Jammu suggested me to have good Quality
Shoes(With good grip / sole in it), so that it will not be difficult for
climbing the steep mountains. Finally after making elaborate preparations we left
Bangalore on 20th July 2011. To save the time, we had opted for the Air-travel,
for which we had to Book the ticket 1 month in advance. We Started from
Bangalore on 20th, at 6:20 am flight and reached Delhi @ around 8:55 am. Stayed
there in the Airport till 12pm, and again started to Srinagar in another flight
at 12:40 pm. Climate in Srinagar was good. Even though we thought that we will
be freezing in cold until we reached Srinagar, we came to know that we are
wrong as soon as we came out of the airport. Climate was little humid and we
were sweating. (Climate varies a lot in time itseems. So we can’t predict the
temperature here. Not like Bangalore). When we were talking about this, the
co-passengers have also said that the temperature may also get reduced within 2
hours, so that we will be feeling cold… J
Our team
of 22 members consisted people of almost all tyope of Job. Like software
engineer, Civil engineer, contractors in the Campco factory, Lawers, Jewellery
Shop owner, Purohits, Businessmen, Lecturers, 1 Engineering student,
Agriculturist etc.. J Everybody played their own great
role in the team during the yatra.
Our team
leader (Who had actually started discussing about the yatra in the initial
stage) had a good contact in J&K. He had contacted the campco chocolate
distributor in Srinagar before we reached there. Later that distributor had
become a good friend of our team. (I forgot his name now. Let us Consider Mr. X
as his name as of now).
We met
Mr. X, in Srinagar airport. He had arranged a mini-bus for us. We sorted all
our belongings in 2 bags there near the Bus. 1 the small back-pack in which we
had kept the basic necessities (such as 2 shirts, 1 pant, Thermals, Medical
kit, Dry fruits, Amarnath yatra pass, raincoat etc.,…), and another Suitcase in
which the Extra luggage & dress is kept. We Kept this Back-pack with us and
Grouped the extra luggage (22 member’s 22 suitcase) and we handed-over this to the
responsibility of this to our friend Mr. X. He had taken this in a separate
vehicle and had kept it in a room in a lodge nearby, which is known to him
under his responsibility. [Later we came to know that there is also arrangement
for locker facility / cloak- room in Srinagar bus-stand. But this is
comparatively far from airport. i.e., about 9km than the usual root.]
Route
1: Srinagar to Amarnath via Baltal: Srinagar—115 km. drive—>
Baltal—14 km. trekking—>Amarnath Cave
Route
2: Srinagar to Amarnath via Pahalgam: Srinagar—90 km.
drive—>Pahalgam—16 km. drive—>Chandanwari—3 km. trekking–>Pissu top—10
km. trekking—>Sheshnag—11 km. trekking—>Panchtarni—6 km.
trekking—>Amarnath Cave
Although
Route 2 involved about 30 km. of trekking we still chose it as to see the
beauty of the mountains and the rivers. As per puranas / ancient scripts, this
is the actual route to do the yatra. We took a mini-bus from Srinagar Airport
for the team of 22 members.. we had to go to Pahalgam - a base camp for
Amarnath Yatra.(Other base camp is at Baltal which is a place near Sonmarg.
Baltal is a valley on the Srinagar - Leh road 15 km ahead from Sonamarg. Baltal
valley lies in the foothills of Zojila Pass. It is another place from where
Amarnath yatra could we done.) We started our journey in the mini-bus at
around 4:45pm. Although the traffic was high, the driver was very good. He was
experienced in that area. He was driving very fast, but carefully, so that he
can come back to Srinagar, before it was midnight.
Although
most of the people say Srinagar is beautiful city, I didn’t find it so. But I
found it something different than usual. All the building’s top is slant than
the usual we see in other parts of India. J Once we crossed the Srinagar
area, the Environment we were seeing was like Heaven. One can’t imagine the
beauty of the place without seeing the Himalayan range with his own eyes.
Estates
of Apple Trees were on the both sides of the road. We had to cross small
rivers, canals etc, which is so beautiful that it is impossible to explain it
with the words. As we were approaching the Pahalgam, we could see Beautiful
mountains, Rivers, waterfalls from the mountains etc. Although the time was
around 7:30pm, it was still bright. Arguably one of the most beautiful places
on earth, the town of Pahalgam (Village of Shepherds) offers breathtaking
views. One can just enjoy the town of Phalgam or trek to some of the most
beautiful places on earth. One can trek to Lidderwat, Kolohoi Glacier or to
Sonmarg. Snow skiing is an attraction during the winter months (from December
to late February). There is no way to go to Chandanwari in the evening time. We
reached the pahalgam at around 7:40 pm. Everybody had to get down from the
vehicle, with their luggage and had to undergo security check. Army people also
checked the vehicle while we were being checked in a Queue. It is like their
experience, they were talking to us and were also checking us in normal way.
They were identifying our innocence in our face and behavior itself. So it was
very easy checking process for us. As
soon as the the check was over (which took around 5 mini), we again got into
our vehicle. It started to rain at this time. We again had to travel for about
1 to 2 km in the vehicle to reach the Base camp.
As soon
as our vehicle reached near the base camp, lot of people came near the vehicle
and were convincing us to go to their sheltering arrangement like Tent, or
small lodge, rooms etc with varying rates from 150 rs to 400 rs per person per
night.. As mentioned earlier, time was around 8pm, and was slightly drizzling
too.. Cool breez from the nearby “Lidder” river was awesome.. While few of our
team members were bargaining for the rent for tents, we were enjoying the
beauty of base camp, it’s different atmosphere etc..
We had
to undergo one more round of checking before we entered the base camp which was
surrounded by the BSF people for tight security. It was like small Village
inside the camping area. There was Information or assisting center, which was
being maintained by Army people, STD booths, small shops which was selling
shoes, woolen socks, monkey cps, sweaters, water bottles, biscuits etc.. which
are few of the basic necessities while trekking.
I must
say regarding Ahaara Bhandaara. Ahaara Bhandaara which is in shop like manner
can be seen in almost all of the places during Amarnath yaatra. These are the
Food Courts which were providing different type of food like Roti, Rice, different
variety of sweets, hot coffee, tea etc for Free of Cost.. Various group of
people from different places like Delhi, ludhiyana, haryana etc come here to
serve the food for amaranth yatris. It’s a great seva done from them to the
people.
Tents in
the pahalgam base camp are neatly arranged..There was different type of tents
based on the availability and rent. It may be either bigger (Which can hold
around 20 to 25 members), or smaller, which can hold around 10 members. Open
tents / closed, or house like tents which are prepared using Fibre sheet and
steel.We opted for this tent, which was of 25 members capacity. Within few
minutes of getting the Tent, we quickly got refreshed in the cold water(it was
like water taken from the freezer) and headed towards the Ahaara bhandara. We
tried to remember the location of the tent, its area and number, so that we are
not lost in the base camp are in the night in middle of thousands of people… As
we were heading towards ahaara bhandaara for dinner, Volunteers from different
groups of trustees or mandalies approached near our group and insisted us to go
to their bhandaara for dinner at that time… they were pleasing us to have food
offered by them… amazing…. Although Some
of the Food is not so tasty due to different type of oil they use, still it is
awesome to have food there.. Although I didn’t had any food from afternoon, due
to climatic changes, I couldn’t eat much… I had just 2 roti.
After
having marvelous food, me and my friends roamed in the base camp seeing
different type of tents, and then came to our tent. In the tent, they had
provided us 2 rajaai (thick bed sheet). Although our team had decided to have
discussion regarding the next day’s plan, the cold drizzling environment, and
tiresome journey made me to sleep..
Since
our group was large, and due to less availability of bath rooms & rest
rooms, We had to get up early. I woke up at around 4 am on the 2nd day of our
journey. Before we came to know that there is availability of hot water (1
bucket – 50 rs), we had bath in the ice Cold water… which was most refreshing.
All the Tiredness ran away, and it made me active. Then at around 6 am, we went
near the ahaar bhandaar, on the way towards exit gate of the base camp, and
then had hot tea(Gharama gharam chai), biscuit & Toast. Then we had to wait
in Queue waiting for the BSF people to open the gate.
Exit
gate will be opening at 6:30 am here in Pehalgaum . Finally when it was opened,
we came out of the camp, on the main road of the Pahalgam town. The entire road
was seen crowded with pilgrims. From here we had to go to Chandanwari - a place
up on the mountains (altitude about 2900 meters), at distance of around 16 km
from Pahelgam. Pilgrims go from Pahelgam to Chandanwari by taxi or bus. And
from Chandanwari onward, they have to trek all the way to the Amarnath cave.
We hired
3 SUV’s for our team members, and the
driver was asking for rs 100 per person. The time was around 7:35 at that time
and we agreed. There was other ordinary Tempo too but was crowded. The Journey
in this vehicle was good.. Roads were like in Ghat section, but was not Tarred everywhere.
It was less populated area too. Then we came to know that Pahalgam is the only
place where the people live, and all the other place where we go in this yatra
is fully covered by ice most of the time in the year and only during this
season, there will be some human activity..
At
around 8:30 am, we reached Chandanwari. Chandanwari (2,895 m), 16 km. from Pahalgam,
is the starting point of the yatra. From Chandanwari onwards the track becomes
much steeper, and is accessible on foot or by pony. There are three ways to go
to Amarnath, one is to go by foot, second is to go by palki and the third is by
pony. We decided to go by walking as it would be more exciting than the
other two. There was huge crowd of people who were on their way to
Amarnath Darshan, Vendors selling different type of trekking materials, Wooden
sticks with sharp edges (Which helps as 3rd leg for balancing while trekking).
We purchased a good quality sharp edge stick which was costing 20rs. As we
moved from that place, vendors were selling same type of stick for even lesser
price… J One thing to remember: We need to have these type
of stick if we are trekking. If we opt for travelling by pony ride, or palki,
this is a burden.
When we
began to walk from the pilgrim camp at Pahalgam, we were fully clad with
woolens to ward off the cold. Up to around 1km in the initial part of the
route, there were stalls with different kinds of eatables,cold drinks, water,
medicines ... etc. lined on both sides of the path. Things were being
distributed free to the pilgrims from these stalls. Then we had to cross 1
bridge, were we had to show our Amarnath yatra pass. 1 part of the pass had to
be given to the security personal who were standing there. Since there was less
number of people near the bridge, those people didn’t ask for the pass with
me.. I just went as usual, and later I came to know that I had to hand-over 1
piece of the pass to them. J
We had
just started and were full of vigour,so we were walking fast, chanting Shiv
Ji's name. Soon the stalls were left behind. Now only high mountains were seen
all around. Great numbers of pilgrims were seen going and coming on this narrow
path. Some pilgrims were riding on ponies and the caretakers of the ponies were
seen walking along. Old and handicapped pilgrims were going on Dandies /Palki
which was carried by four people on their soldiers. Movement of ponies and
dandies on this narrow path was causing great inconvenience to those pilgrims
who were doing the yatra on foot.
We had
to walk for more than 2 hours to reach 1st stage of the initial walk, to reach
Pissu Top.. After a three km. of climbing, we reached Pissu top. It is at an
altitude of 3377 meters (11000 feet). It is said that to be first to reach for
darshan of Lord Shiv there was a war between Devtas (Gods) and Rakshas
(Demons). With the power of Lord Shiv, Devtas could kill the Rakshas in such
large number that the heap of their dead bodies has resulted in this high
mountain. From Pissu top, it was a 4 km. vertical climb. The climb was quite
tedious and we rested and climbed throughout. After walking for few hours we
reached Posh Patri. There was a nice Langar over there. They were having all
sorts of food items. The food was great and moreover free of cost. They were
also distributing medicines for free. After a nice meal we moved ahead.
The
route was steep and slippery and if someone slips he will end up in the valley.
Moreover, to my amazement the people who were returning from Amarnath were
using the same path. In these critical circumstances people were carrying their
4-5 year old kids too. It is believed that by the grace of Baba Amarnath there
are no major accidents in this area. In the middle of rush we all got
scattered. But As per our discussion before leaving the tent, we were managing
to group with atleast 3 to 4 members, with whom, atleast 1 person was having
valid BSNL post-paid connection, so that it was easier to meet other team mates
in the next destination point or next base point..
After a
few hours of climbing in the pleasant weather we reached Sheshnag Lake at
4.30 pm. Sheshnag is an amazing mountain lake. It is situated at an
altitude of about 3,658 m above sea level. The water of this greenish
blue lake is cold and clear and is covered with ice till June.
Sheshnag derives its name from its seven peaks, resembling the heads of a
mythical snake. Legend has it that, Sheshnag Lake is the place where
Lord Shiva left his Nandi on his way to Amarnath Cave. Sheshnag mountains look
like seven heads, the lake looks like the body of the snake coiled up
and the stream looks like the tail of the serpent, followed steep inclines on
the right bank of a cascading stream and wild terrain untouched by civilization.
And camping around the Sheshnag Lake, at the end of the trek, with the
beautiful glaciers in the background was just like icing on the cake.
There
were camps nearby Sheshnag lake where one can get tents for resting. The
government rate of a tent is Rs. 165 per night. From the base camp there was a
beautiful view of the Sheshnag mountain. It is believed that Sheshnag has lifted
earth in his shoulders. Also, Sheshnag is the one who was incarnated as
Lakshmana, the younger brother of Lord Rama in Treta Yuga and also as Balrama
the elder brother of Lord Krishna in Dwapara Yuga. It is also believed that
Sheshnag still lives here and some people had the luck to see him.
We took
the tents and blankets for resting. After that we took Food from nearby langaru
/ Ahaara bhandara, medicines and went to
sleep. Until late night I heard the announcements of missing
people on loudspeakers and I don’t even know when I got slept. The next
morning the weather was clear and we moved ahead. Enjoying the
incredible beauty of the way we moved through Ganesh Top and reached
Panchtarni. This is probably the most difficult part of the trek because to
reach Panchtarni, one has to cross the Mahagunas Pass at 4276 metres (14000 ft)
for 4.6KM and from there on gradually descend to Panchtarni at a height of 3657
metres (12000 ft) for another 9.4KM. If one is not used to this altitude (which
most people aren’t) or has not acclimatized well, then they are likely to feel
dizzy or nauseous due to lack of oxygen.
Therefore
carrying some dry fruits and lemons might be a good idea. Also one key
essential for the trip is Vaseline or cold cream, because trust me, without
them (sometimes even with them) your skin will start to crack rapidly in the
cold dry winds.Pilgrims can then descend to Panchtarni, which is situated in a
valley and can stay overnight in the tented camp in the meadow. A
confluence of five rivers can be seen at Panchtarni.
The
following morning was the day of the final trek to the Amarnath cave temple. We
got up early so that we could get to the cave, stay there for a while and get
back to Panchtarni in time. There are no accommodations near the cave although
some people choose to camp themselves or with the help of shop keepers near the
sangam. The trek was 6KM each way and was relatively easier from the previous
day’s trek. On the way to the trek lies the confluence (sangam) of the two holy
rivers Amravati and Panchtarni. The water is of course icy-cold but taking a
dip in the holy water before entering the cave is considered a good practice.
From
here we climbed a very difficult rise for some 45 minutes, and we saw our first
glimpse of the holy cave. Walking some more distance and our path descended
into a narrow valley full of ice. The sight of the holy cave had rejuvenated
our spirits. So now we were enjoying what we were seeing. We were seeing nature
in its virgin beauty. The ice on which we were walking was actually a frozen
river. Wow! I was seeing a real glacier for the first time in my life. Beneath
the top solidified layer of ice, liquid water was flowing at high speed. That
water was flowing below the ice that we were walking on, was apparent from the
faint sound of flowing water that had filled the entire environment.
You need
to buy prasadam from the tent's shop. Yes, they were not charging any rent for
keeping bags from pilgrims. We bought prasadam from one of the shop and kept
our luggage there. And we began to walk towards the cave. When we had walked
about 1 km we saw a line of people standing to do darshan of the ice
shiv-lingam in the cave. We too stood in this line.
After
one hour in the queue we finally entered the cave at 10 am. Inside the main
Amarnath cave lies an ice stalagmite resembling the Shiva Lingam, which waxes
during June to July and gradually wanes thereafter. This lingam is said to grow
and shrink with the phases of the moon, reaching its height during the
summer festival. According to Hindu mythology, this is the cave where Shiva
explained the secret of life and eternity to his divine consort
Parvati. The cave is situated at an altitude of 3,888 m. (12,760 ft).
Photography was not allowed inside the cave. Inside the cave we saw a 12 feet
long Shiv ling made of ice. When I saw that my pain and exursion was gone in a
flash. There are two other ice formations representing Mata Parvati
and Lord Ganesha.
As soon
as I entered the cave all the fatigue of the trek vanished in an instant. The
cave is huge and surprisingly very well maintained even at that height.
But of course the most unusual feature of the cave is the three Lingams.
The biggest of them all, representing Lord Shiva and the smaller two,
representing Goddess Parvati and her son Ganesha. Incredibly, the ice formation
is not everywhere; it is only those three stalagmites and that is what is
fascinating about it. I later learnt that there are two natural water channels
running above and below the stalagmites inside the rocks and are responsible
for the formation of the lingams. And it helps, that the stalagmites take
the shape of lingams very much like the ones found in other Lord Shiva
temples throughout the world.
It is
fascinating to see how nature’s mysteries and the power of faith go hand in
hand to deliver such spectacles. Without either of them, the Amarnath
experience would not have been so easily available to the millions of pilgrims
who visit the cave.
There
was not much space or time to daydream about the wonders of the cave.
The darshan was quick because there were so many others waiting for
their turn, but it was enough. In retrospect, I realized that it is not the
destination but the journey that counted in the end. And keeping in mind this
experience, now I am sure that “Jab Jab Bhole Shankar ka Bulava aaega, tab tab
bhakt darshan ko jaaega.”
We saw
two white pigeons in the cave. It is believed that those two white pigeons are
immortal and stay in that cave. Also, we saw a grey pigeon and a black koel.
Inside the cave there was a kund from where the holy water comes out. After the
darshan we came out and collected water from here. Then, we had lunch in one of
the Ahaara Bhandara or langaru and took tent.
The
temple is reported to be about 5,000 years old and was mentioned in
ancient Hindu texts. The exact manner of discovery of the cave is not known. In
recent times, the legend is that in 1850, the cave was re-discovered by a
Muslim shepherd boy named Buta Malik. According to the tale, Buta Malik was
given a sack of coal by a Sadhu. Upon reaching his home he discovered that the
sack, in fact, contained gold. Overjoyed and overcome, Buta Malik rushed back
to look for the Sadhu and thank him, but on the spot of their meeting
discovered the cave and eventually this became a place of pilgrimage for all
believers. So pleased was the Dogra King Maharaja Gulab Singh by this discovery
that he decreed that a representative of the Malik family would always be
present at the holy shrine, along with the Mahant (Hindu priest) and Pundits of
Ganeshpora, during the period of the pilgrimage each year. Also, the family of
the muslim shepherd was granted a large estate near Pahalgam and exempted from
paying land revenue to the state. Further one third of all the offerings made
at the shrine each year were to be given to the Malik family as reward. The
Amarnath Yatra, according to Hindu belief, begins on Ashadha Purnima (day of
the Full Moon in the Hindu Month of Ashadha) and ends on Shravana Purnima (day
of the full moon in the Hindu month of Shravana).
Since
the time when had done the yatra was comparatively less crowded, I again went
to the darshana of lord Amarnath 2 more time. At 6:30 Pm, we had got nice
opportunity to see the evening maha puja to lord Amarnath. We also chanted
Shree Rudhra prashna, chamaka prashana. We came down from the guha, had dinner
in the ahaara bhandara, did shopping of photo, and other available things there,
and later in the night, we stayed there in the tent below the amaranth guha.. We
have arranged this by talking to one of the shopkeeper for some reasonable
price. Soon we all went to sleep. Night was very cold. Even inside the double
layer of blankets we were shivering. We got up very early the next morning. It
was still dark when we got up. Cool wind was blowing out side the tent. Tent
was situated near the bank of the river itself. We quickly got fresh and in
the morning we performed “Rudra yaga”, chanted Purusha suktha, Shree rudhra
prashna, Chamaka prashna, and then worshipped lord amaranth from the tent
itself(which was facing towards holy Cave) and started returning to Sangam.
At sangam
top the road meets Pahalgam route, and Baltal
Route. From Sangam, a narrow (around 14km long) pebbled path goes to the Baltal.
This path is full of mountain dust. This path spirals up and downs and down the
mountains for most part of the journey from Sangam to Baltal. The trek from
here is very steep and therefore needs great caution and care. Some tea stalls
are available at Brarimarg and Sangam top. Several snow bridges on the fast
flowing streams are to be crossed and during rains the road becomes slippery.
We opted to go via from the Baltal route. Baltal Ponies and porters are
available on Government approved rates. There was a lot of dust in this route.
We had lunch again in a Ahaara Bhandara. As we kept walking on this very tough
mountainous path, which was in the form of a narrow pagdandi full of dust, some
unknown source - may be himself, the Lord Shiva!- kept providing us with the
strength to continue walking despite the fact that we have not much stamina. By
the time we reached Baltal, we were totally exhausted.
When we
reached Baltal, I saw a huge plain area on the right side of the road near the
foot of the mountains surrounding the Baltal valley. Huge numbers of vehicles
were parked in this. On the other side we could see a large colony of tents for
the staying of the pilgrims. Here the pilgrim camp was larger than that of Pahalgam.
Then, we
went and saw the Dal lake in a Shikara at night. The Dal Lake is a famous lake
in Srinagar. It is connected to a number of other lakes of the Kashmir valley.
It is well-known for its approximately 500 Victorian-era wooden houseboats,
originally built as vacation homes for British administrators during
the Raj. The lake covers 18 square kilometers, and is divided by causeways into
four basins, called Gagribal, Lokut Dal, Bod Dal and Nagin. Lokut-dal and
Bod-dal have an island each in the centre, known as Rup Lank (or Char Chinari)
and Sona Lank respectively. Along most of the shore of the lake is a boulevard,
lined with Mughal-era gardens, parks, and hotels. During the winter season the
lake sometimes freezes over. The lake has some interesting flora and fauna. The
flora includes lotus flower, water lilies and water chestnuts.
Notable birds are kingfishers and heron.
NH -1A.
Actually I am a bit crazy type person. To many, the number or name of the
highway on which they are moving is something that they never think about. But
for me, the fact that I was moving on National Highway Number One of
India, was making me excited in my heart. Many places went past: Banihal,
Zawahar Tunnel, Quazigund, Annantnag...etc etc.
Most amazing was the experience of crossing the Jawahar Tunnel. It is claimed to be the longest road tunnel in Asia. It is built near Banihal on Jammu - Srinagar highway (NH-1). While passing through this tunnel, it feels that one is moving through a tube, because its cross-section is almost round. Its roof is not very high from inside. It is a very long tunnel ( almost 3km in length). It is strategically a very important tunnel for India, because it connects Kashmir with the rest of India.Therefore, security personnels guard it round the clock, through out the year. When our jeep went inside the tunnel, there was darkness all around. Since the tunnel is narrow, therefore vehicles can move inside the tunnel in one line only - no overtaking possible! When our jeep neared the other end of the tunnel, the light entering into the tunnel from that opening was creating a very beautiful view. When we came out to the other side of the tunnel it subtly appeared to me that weather this side was different from the weather of the other side we had come from
Most amazing was the experience of crossing the Jawahar Tunnel. It is claimed to be the longest road tunnel in Asia. It is built near Banihal on Jammu - Srinagar highway (NH-1). While passing through this tunnel, it feels that one is moving through a tube, because its cross-section is almost round. Its roof is not very high from inside. It is a very long tunnel ( almost 3km in length). It is strategically a very important tunnel for India, because it connects Kashmir with the rest of India.Therefore, security personnels guard it round the clock, through out the year. When our jeep went inside the tunnel, there was darkness all around. Since the tunnel is narrow, therefore vehicles can move inside the tunnel in one line only - no overtaking possible! When our jeep neared the other end of the tunnel, the light entering into the tunnel from that opening was creating a very beautiful view. When we came out to the other side of the tunnel it subtly appeared to me that weather this side was different from the weather of the other side we had come from
Jammu is
the name of both a city and a region. The Jammu region is one of the three
regions of India's northern most state Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu city is the
capital of Jammu region. It is a very important pilgrimage destination in
India. There are so many famous hindu temples in Jammu city. The famous Vaishno
Devi temple too is situated in this region.This temple is around 61 km from
Jammu city. From Jammu city, people go to Katra by bus or car, which is around
50 km from Jammu city. Katra town is the base camp for devotees going to
Vaishno Devi temple. From here devotees trek on the mountainous path to reach
the Vaishno Devi temple which is located at a height of 5300 feet on the holy
Trikuta Hills of the Shivalik Hill Range. From Jammu city our tempo was to go
to Katra.
After
that we had the dinner at the same houseboat that we hired at the starting of
our journey, for dumping the extra luggage. The next morning we decided to go
to Vaishno Devi. Vaishno Devi Mandir is one of the holiest Hindu temples
dedicated to Shakti, located in the hill of Vaishno Devi, Jammu and
Kashmir, India. In Hinduism, Vaishno Devi, also known as Mata Rani and
Vaishnavi, is a manifestation of the Mother Goddess. The temple is near the
town of Katra, in Udhampur district. It is one of the most revered places of
worship in Northern India. The shrine is at an altitude of 5200 feet and a
distance of approximately 12 kilometres from Katra. Million of pilgrims visit
the temple every year and is the second most visited religious shrine in India,
after Tirumala Venkateswara Temple. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board
maintains the shrine. A rail link from Udhampur to Katra is being built to
facilitate pilgrimage. We took a bus and reached Katra at 10 pm. We hired a
hotel and spent the night over there. In the morning again, there are three
ways to go to Vaishni Devi Temple, one is to go by walking, second is to go by
Palki and the third is to go by a pony. Once again, we decided to go by walking
to see the natural beauty. After a few hours of climb we could see
the panoramic view of Katra.
After
about 12 hours walking we reached at the top. There was a cave at the top.
After the darshan we went to the Bhairav Nath temple. It is believed that if
you do not cover the Bhairav Nath Temple the Vaishno Devi journey is not yet
finished. We came down at night time itself. It was raining and the weather was
very bad. After walking throughout the night we reached Katra at 11 am. From
Kataras we hired a sumo for Rs. 500 to Jammu. From Jammu we took a train to
Delhi.
We had a
nice day-out in Delhi, had good 1 day sight-seeing with the help of local
tourist Guide. On the last day, We started from Delhi to Bangalore in the early
morning, and landed in Bangalore With Wonderful experience in mind.
------------------------------
Amarnath cave was chosen by Lord Shiva to
narrate the secrets of immortality and creation of Universe to Parvati.
Most of us have heard of Rishi Munis doing deep
meditation (tap) and getting spiritual realization. What about a common man who
does not want to become a Muni or Rishi? For him the only way is to do
20–minute meditation daily and undertaking spiritual journeys for self
purification once in a while. Amarnath Yatra is one of them. Others are Vaishno
Devi Yatra, Mini Chaar Dhaam Yatra, Chaar Dham Yatra etc. Those who cannot go
can do internal Amarnath Yatra by way of deep meditation.
Each spiritual retreat or journey requires a
spiritual frame of mind and a commitment of seven to ten days for self
purification. Most spiritual destinations are located at up into mountains
firstly to provide a pollution–free environment and secondly a difficult travel
so that nobody can reach the destination before 7–10 days. This journey helps
to control the mind, intellect and ego and also to get rid of the desires, attachments,
greed, tamas and rajas.This also helps in acclimitisation and prevents mountain
sicknesses.
On the way, as one is travelling alone without
carrying his worldly attachments and desires, he or she invariably reaches the
destination in a positive state of mind and when one meditates at the place of
final destination one experiences spiritual insights, which inspire one to come
out of worldly worries and provides one the path for future living and answers
the unanswered questions.
The Amarnath Story
Once Parvati asked Shiva to let her know why
and when he started wearing the beads of heads (Mund Mala). Shiva said whenever
you are born I add one more head in my beads. Parvati said,” My Lord, my body
is destroyed every time and I die again and again, but you are Immortal. Please
let me know the secret of this.” Shiva replied that it is due to Amar Katha.”
Spiritual Significance
Spiritual Significance
The spiritual significance of the above is, that here Shiva represents the Soul and Parvati the Body. The soul never dies and is immortal. The Soul is the energized file of information and in computer language is like the web of energized information. Every time any work is performed (sanskara), a copy of the same is kept in the memory of both the Soul and the Spirit. The further part of the story is the katha or the process of doing meditation, achieving silence and its benefits
The story
“Parvati insisted that she may be told that
secret. For long Shiva continued postponing. Finally on consistent demand He
made up his mind to tell the immortal secret. He started for lonely place where
no living being could hear it. He chose Amarnath Cave.”
Spiritual Significance
While learning to meditate, the first
principles are dedication and persistence. The second is silence or a place
with no internal and external disturbance. In Asthanga Yoga, it is called
Pratyahara (the withdrawal of senses).
The story
“Shiva left His Nandi (The Bull) at Pahalgam or
Bail Gaon; his moon from his hairs (jatha) at Chandanwari; his snake at the
banks of Lake Sheshnag; his Son Ganesha at Mahagunas Parvat (Mahaganesh Hill)
and his five elements at Panjtarni. As a symbol of sacrificing the earthly
world, Shiva and Parvati did Tandav Dance. After leaving behind all these,
Shiva enters the Holy Amarnath Cave along with Parvati. Lord Shiva takes his
Samadhi on the Deer Skin and concentrates.
Spiritual Significance
In the process of meditation one first gets rid
of desires (Nandi or the mind), discriminating or analyzing the power of
thoughts (moon or the intellect) and ego (snake). Once this is done, one is
totally away from the worldly desires (Ganesh and the five elements). Now the
body is in symphony with the soul (Tandava dance, this is equivalent to Raas
lila in Krishna lila).
This is also what happens when one is
meditating. One let’s go his desires (nandi); expectations (moon); ego (snake),
attachments to family (Ganesha) and to worldly desires (five elements)
The story
The story
To ensure that no living being is able to hear
the Immortal Tale, Shiva created Rudra named Kalagni and ordered him to spread
fire to eliminate every living thing in and around the Holy Cave. After this He
started narrating the secret of immortality to Parvati. But as a matter of
chance one egg which was lying beneath the Deer skin remained protected. It is
believed to be non living and more over it was protected by Shiva –Parvati Asan
(Bed). The pair of pigeons which were born out of this egg became immortal
having heard the secret of immortality (Amar Katha).
Spiritual Significance
This again signifies the importance of
undisturbed state of mind at the time of meditation. Fire indicates the
internal meditation–generated spiritual fire or agni, which burns all the
negative thoughts and negative energies. The egg of the pigeon indicates that
spiritual knowledge can transform at the level DNA. It also tells us that those
who sit near the meditating persons also benefit.
Finally it’s the power of intention at that
state of mind which can even change the DNA.
