Annually yatra to the cave of Amarnath is organized in the months starting from June to August. Placed in the state of Jammu & Kashmir the “Paradise on Earth”, a pilgrimage to Amarnath is considered most sacred by Hindu devotees as well as pilgrims of other religions as well.This holy pilgrimage is one of its kinds as one has to travel at an altitude of 3,880 meters to reach the shrine of Lord Shiva i.e.Amarnath Cave.The major attraction at this holy place is the naturally formed Shiva Lingam and the yatra or pilgrimage is not completed if one cannot visit to have darshan of the lingam.

Thousands of pilgrims and tourists visit the holy cave for pooja offerings and darshan which starts in the month of June/July and concludes in the month of August around the festival of Raksha Bandhan.Devotees interested to go on a yatra have to register themselves and obtain a medical certificate from a registered medical practitioner.Travel to the holy shrine is a mixture as one has to travel by car, bus or taxi to Pahalgam and from there you have to trek around 24 km to reach Amarnath cave.The route to the cave passes through deep valleys and rough terrain therefore the organizers take adequate safety measures to have a smooth and safe pilgrimage.Adequate arrangement of food, drinking water and electricity is made for the convenience of the devotees.

Amarnath Cave has lots of significance in Hindu Mythology as according to the sayings it is on the day of Shravan, Lord Shiva narrated the secrets of life to Goddess Parvati the daughter of the Himalayas at this very place.The story of life’s secret was also heard by two pigeons and after hearing it they gained immorality that’s why this place is called Amarnath.Yatra to Amarnath will surely cast a spell around pilgrims and they will be compelled to come here again and again.

Kailash Mansarovar Yatra- For Salvation and Pilgrimage
The Department of Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India annually organizes yatra to Kailash Mansarovar in the month starting from end of May, early June till the month of September.Devotees above the age group of 18 and possessing a certified medical certificate can only register and proceed for the yatra.

Famed for being called the abode of Shiva, Mount Kailash stands tall at an altitude of 22,028 ft above sea level in the western Tibetan plateau of the great Himalayan Mountains.The religious sentiments associated with Mount Kailash are that if one performs a walk also known as parikrama around this mountain his or her sins will be wiped out.Geographically this place is also important as from this place river like Indus, Sutlej, Brahmaputra and Karnali originates.

On the southeast of Mount Kailash is placed a beautiful circular lake called Mansarovar which is also known in Tibetan language as Tso Rinpoche or Precious Lake.Pilgrims take a bath at this very lake to gain spiritual elevation.The Kailash Mansarovar yatra is regarded as sacred for Hindus as well as pilgrims and devotees of other religions.

The yatra takes around 26 days to complete and is undertaken in batches of around 50 to 60 pilgrims.In addition to the pilgrimage this place is regarded as one of the best trekking destinations and various trekking tours are organized coinciding with the yatra time-table.The breadth-taking view of Mount Kailash along with the chilling waters of Mansarovar Lake will certainly be an experience of a lifetime to be rejoiced for years to come.

Author Bio: For more information on Amarnath and Kailash Mansarovar please visit our website.

Category: Travel
Keywords: Amarnath Yatra, Amarnath Jammu & Kashmir, Jammu & Kashmir Paradise on Earth, Shiva Lingam Amarnath,