Located in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir and situated on Mount Amarnath, the Amarnath caves (Hindi: अमरनाथ गुहा, Urdu: امرناتھ گُپھا) are one of the most famous shrines in Hinduism. The shrine forms an important part of Hinduism.[1]
Inside the main Amarnath cave lies an ice stalagmite resembling the Shiva Linga, which waxes during May to August and gradually wanes thereafter.[2] This ling
am is said to grow and shrink with the phases of the moon, reaching its height during the summer festival.[3] According to Hindu mythology, this is the cave where Shiva explained the secret of life and eternity to his divine consort Parvati.[4] Two other ice formations represent Parvati and Shiva's son, Ganesha. The cave is situated at an altitude of 3,888 m (12,756 ft),[2] about 141 km (88 mi) from Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir. The Central Reserve Police Force, Indian Army and Indian Paramilitary Forces maintain a strong presence in the region due to security concerns.[5]
