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Amarnath Landmarks Have a 30 page Ebook about Amarnath Yatra delivered to your email. It will tell you everything you about Amarnath Yatra. It is also richly decorated with Photos.   There are many caves like Amarnath in the Himalayas and there are many thousand ice stalagmites which resemble a Shiva Lingam all over the Himalayas. In fact I have seen one such Shiva linga which even had a structure resembling the Gomukh. So what is special about Amarnath? Without any doubts, the legend associated with this place and also the staunch belief that this place is the abode of Lord Bholenath is what makes this place special for millions of devotes. But apart from these, this place has some very interesting features which make it special. When you do visit this place, remember to look for these features. Rock Face Ganesha This is one of the most striking features one can notice. To the right of the cave, on the rock face is a feature which bears a striking resemblance to Ganesh, Shiva’s son (see picture). Similarly to the left of the cave is a rock formation which is very unique. The rock formation bears a striking resemblance to Nandi (see picture). To the left of this feature a stream is seen flowing which is considered to be Ganga Herself. Inside the cave, near the entrance is a place where one can collect this water which has percolated through the gaps in the mountain. This water is considered very holy and is carried by thousands of pilgrims to their home.  The top of the cave when seen from a distance resembles the moon which Shiva caries on his head. When considered together, it looks as if Lord Bholenath is seated with the moon on his head and his son Ganesh to his right and Nandi (His Vehicle) to the left. Standing just below the temple, if one looks towards the mountain opposite the cave, one can see a feature resembling Shiva and Parvathi seated with their son Ganesh. This rock feature is located to the left (With you facing the mountain opposite the cave) and may be missed unless specifically looked for. The Amaravathy River The Amaravathy river is actually a small stream which originates from the Amarnath Glacier located near the cave. This river ic considered very holy and a dip here is believed to rid a person of all sins. In fact there are only two rivers which are considered more important and holier than Ganga herself according to Hindu Mythology. The two rivers are Amaravathy and Devak. Both are located in Kashmir. Amaravathy in Amarnath and Devak is near Udhampur. They are considered to be holier than Ganga because legend has it that Ganga originates from Shiva’s head, therefore she is arrogant, while these two rivers originate from Shiva’s feet and hence are conferred greater holiness. After originating from the Amarnath glacier, it runs along the lidder valley for a few km before disappearing underground to resurface at Baltal. This river then joins the Chenab at sonmarg. The Ice Lingam To most people Amarnath will be synonymous with the Ice Shiva linga, and rightly so. But as I mentioned before this Ice linga is not unique to Amarnath. There may be scores of such lingam’s present in the Glaciers of Himalayas. Therefore what makes Amarnath Special is the legend behind it and the firm belief in millions of people that this is the abode of Lord Bholenath. However the Ice Lingam is what many people come to see and hence we should take some time to know about it. The Ice Lingam is formed in the right corner of the cave and when fully grown, is over nine feet tall. The lingam is believed to wax and wane with the phases of the moon. Scientifically speaking this lingam is formed by to water channels which flow above and beneath the spot where the Lingam is formed. During the Earthquake which affected Kashmir in 2005, it is believed that these channels were disrupted, leading to inadequate growth and formation of the Shiva Lingam during the 2006 Yatra. This was the time when Shri Amarnath Shrine Board came with the stupid idea of dumping dry ice over the under formed lingam to create an artificial lingam (see the picture). This was a big controversy and many pilgrims felt that the sanctity of this place has been defiled by this act. But the sanctity and importance of Amarnath is not merely due this Ice Lingam. It is derived from the legends and stories behind this place and most importantly, the sanctity and reverence of this place is due to the faith in the hearts of millions of people who visit the ice abode of lord Shiva each year. To the left of the Lingam is a smaller Ice stalagmite which is believed to be Ganesha. And to the left of Ganesh is a large block of ice extending to the end of the cave. This block is ice does not look like a Lingam; instead it is more like a large plate of Ice. This ice block is believed to be the sleeping parvathi.               Also inside the temple is a huge Nandi made of silver which was offered by a devotee. Apart from these the other interesting things of note are the various Plaques installed inside the Temple, mentioning gift by individuals and all the Army units which have been responsible for the conduct of the Yatra since its inception.