0.1703
900 319 0030
x

Amarnath Yatra

iasparliament Logo
July 14, 2017

Why in news?

Terrorist recently attacked pilgrims on Amarnath Yatra.

What is the significance of Amaranth yatra?

  • The Amaranth cave deep is in the Himalayas in south Kashmir.
  • The cave is 3,888 m above sea level, can be reached only on foot or by pony.
  • Each year, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims make the trek up to the shrine.

How the deity in the shrine is formed?

  • The ice lingam is formed by a trickle of water from a cleft in the cave’s roof.
  • The Shiva lingam gets its full shape in May, after which it begins to melt by August.
  • The water freezes as it drips, forming, over time, a tall, smooth ice stalagmite.
  • A stalactite is an icicle-shaped formation that hangs from the ceiling of a cave, and is produced by precipitation of minerals from water dripping through the cave ceiling.
  • Most stalactites have pointed tips.
  • A stalagmite is an upward-growing that have precipitated from water dripping onto the floor of a cave.
  • Most stalagmites have rounded or flattened tips.

What are the other pilgrimages in Jammu and Kashmir?

Vaishno Devi

  • Vaishno Devi Mandir is a very popular Hindu temple dedicated to the Hindu Goddess
  • It is located in the Trikuta Mountains of Jammu and Kashmir.
  • It is at an altitude of 5200 ft above the sea level.
  • The Temple is 13.5 km from Katra.
  • Various modes of transportation are available from katra including Ponies, Electric vehicles.
  • People who visits Amarnath also visits this shrine.

Shankracharya Temple

  • Situated on the Zabarwan Mountain in Srinagar, Kashmir.
  • Shankracharya Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
  • Visiting this temple involves the devotees to trek to the top of the hill on which it stands, about 1100 feet above the plains.
  • Built in 371 BC, the great saint Shankracharya is said to have stayed there during his visit to Kashmir.

Raghunath Temple

  • Raghunath Temple is one of the largest temple in North India and is located in Jammu.
  • It was built by Maharaja Gulab Singh (founder of the kingdom of Jammu and Kashmir) and his son Ranbir Singh.
  • There are seven shrines, each having its own Shikhara, present at the site of the temple.
  • Raghunath Temple enshrines many idols of the Hindu gods and goddesses but its presiding deity is Lord Rama.

 

Source: The Indian Express

Login or Register to Post Comments
There are no reviews yet. Be the first one to review.

ARCHIVES

MONTH/YEARWISE ARCHIVES

Free UPSC Interview Guidance Programme