Situated in a narrow gorge
at the farther end of Lidder valley, Amarnathji stands
at 3,888
m and is 45 km from Pahalgam and 141 km from
Srinagar. pilgrimage
subscribes that the Yatra be undertaken from Srinagar, the more common practice
is to begin the journey from Pahalgam, and cover the distance to Amarnathji
and back in four or five days. Pahalgam is 96 km from Srinagar.
The trek to Amarnathji, in
the month of Shravan (July - August) has the devout flock
to this incredible shrine, where the image of Shiva, in
the form of a lingam, is formed naturally of an ice - stalagmite,
and which waxes and wanes with the moon. By its side are,
fascinatingly, two more ice - lingams, that of Parvati
and of their son, Ganesha.