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The '''Amarnath Temple''' is a [[Hindu]] shrine located in the [[Pahalgam]] tehsil of the [[Anantnag district]] of [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]], India. A cave situated at an altitude of {{convert|3888|m|abbr=on}},<ref name="jktourism"/> about 168 km from [[Anantnag|Anantnag city]], the district headquarters, {{convert|141|km|abbr=on}} from [[Srinagar]], the summer capital of [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]], reached through either [[Sonamarg]] or [[Pahalgam]]. It is an important shrine of [[Hinduism]].<ref name="thehindu">{{cite news|date=30 May 2005|title=New shrine on Amarnath route|work=[[The Hindu]]|agency=PTI|location=Chennai, India|url=http://www.hindu.com/2005/05/30/stories/2005053009340300.htm|access-date=15 November 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070618193352/http://www.hindu.com/2005/05/30/stories/2005053009340300.htm|archive-date=18 June 2007}}</ref><ref name="BBC2002">{{cite news|title=The pilgrimage to Amarnath|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2176165.stm|access-date=5 May 2012|newspaper=BBC News|date=6 August 2002|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106180604/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2176165.stm|archive-date=6 January 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> The cave, located in [[Sind Valley]], is surrounded by glaciers, snowy mountains and is covered with snow most of the year, except for a short period in the summer, when it is open to pilgrims. In 1989, pilgrims numbered between 12,000 and 30,000. In 2011, the numbers reached a peak, crossing 6.3 [[lakh]] (630,000) pilgrims. In 2018 pilgrims numbered 2.85 lakh (285,000). The annual pilgrimage varies between 20 and 60 days. | The '''Amarnath Temple''' is a [[Hindu]] shrine located in the [[Pahalgam]] tehsil of the [[Anantnag district]] of [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]], India. A cave situated at an altitude of {{convert|3888|m|abbr=on}},<ref name="jktourism"/> about 168 km from [[Anantnag|Anantnag city]], the district headquarters, {{convert|141|km|abbr=on}} from [[Srinagar]], the summer capital of [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]], reached through either [[Sonamarg]] or [[Pahalgam]]. It is an important shrine of [[Hinduism]].<ref name="thehindu">{{cite news|date=30 May 2005|title=New shrine on Amarnath route|work=[[The Hindu]]|agency=PTI|location=Chennai, India|url=http://www.hindu.com/2005/05/30/stories/2005053009340300.htm|access-date=15 November 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070618193352/http://www.hindu.com/2005/05/30/stories/2005053009340300.htm|archive-date=18 June 2007}}</ref><ref name="BBC2002">{{cite news|title=The pilgrimage to Amarnath|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2176165.stm|access-date=5 May 2012|newspaper=BBC News|date=6 August 2002|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106180604/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2176165.stm|archive-date=6 January 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> The cave, located in [[Sind Valley]], is surrounded by glaciers, snowy mountains and is covered with snow most of the year, except for a short period in the summer, when it is open to pilgrims. In 1989, pilgrims numbered between 12,000 and 30,000. In 2011, the numbers reached a peak, crossing 6.3 [[lakh]] (630,000) pilgrims. In 2018 pilgrims numbered 2.85 lakh (285,000). The annual pilgrimage varies between 20 and 60 days. | ||
The Amarnath cave, abode of the ''Mahamaya Shakti Pitha'', is one of the 51 [[Shakti Pitha | The Amarnath cave, abode of the ''Mahamaya Shakti Pitha'', is one of the 51 [[Shakti Pitha]]s, the temples of the [[South Asia|Indian Subcontinent]] that commemorate the location of the fallen body parts of the Hindu deity [[Sati (goddess)|Sati]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Shankar|first=Ravi|date=26 September 2021|title=Motherlodes of Power: The story of India's 'Shakti Peethas'|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/magazine/2021/sep/26/motherlodesof-power-2362905.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-12-28|website=The New Indian Express|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926061553/https://www.newindianexpress.com/magazine/2021/sep/26/motherlodesof-power-2362905.html |archive-date=26 September 2021 }}</ref> | ||
==Shiva Linga== | ==Shiva Linga== | ||
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==Incidents== | ==Incidents== | ||
===Deaths due to health, accidents and disasters=== | ===Deaths due to health, accidents and disasters=== | ||
[[Sir Walter Roper Lawrence]] in ''[[The Valley of Kashmir]]'' (1895) writes that the difficulty of pilgrimage route affected the weak and sick, with many also falling victims to [[cholera]].{{Sfn|Lawrence|1895|p=298-299}} In 1928, over 500 pilgrims and mules died on the way to the cave.{{Sfn|Warikoo|2009|p=136}} In 1969 a cloudburst resulted in the death of 40 pilgrims.{{Sfn|Warikoo|2009|p=136}} The [[1996 Amarnath Yatra tragedy]] involved the death of 243 pilgrims due to exhaustion and exposure.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Chakravarty|first1=Sayantan|last2=Baweja|first2=Harinder|date=15 September 1996|title=Freak weather conditions during Amarnath yatra claim 200 lives|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/nation/story/19960915-freak-weather-conditions-during-amarnath-yatra-claim-200-lives-834427-1996-09-15|url-status=live|access-date=2021-12-27|website=India Today|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200909103040/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/nation/story/19960915-freak-weather-conditions-during-amarnath-yatra-claim-200-lives-834427-1996-09-15 |archive-date=9 September 2020 }}</ref | [[Sir Walter Roper Lawrence]] in ''[[The Valley of Kashmir]]'' (1895) writes that the difficulty of pilgrimage route affected the weak and sick, with many also falling victims to [[cholera]].{{Sfn|Lawrence|1895|p=298-299}} In 1928, over 500 pilgrims and mules died on the way to the cave.{{Sfn|Warikoo|2009|p=136}} In 1969 a cloudburst resulted in the death of 40 pilgrims.{{Sfn|Warikoo|2009|p=136}} The [[1996 Amarnath Yatra tragedy]] involved the death of 243 pilgrims due to exhaustion and exposure.<ref name=":13"/><ref>{{Cite web|last1=Chakravarty|first1=Sayantan|last2=Baweja|first2=Harinder|date=15 September 1996|title=Freak weather conditions during Amarnath yatra claim 200 lives|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/nation/story/19960915-freak-weather-conditions-during-amarnath-yatra-claim-200-lives-834427-1996-09-15|url-status=live|access-date=2021-12-27|website=India Today|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200909103040/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/nation/story/19960915-freak-weather-conditions-during-amarnath-yatra-claim-200-lives-834427-1996-09-15 |archive-date=9 September 2020 }}</ref> In July 2012, 12 pilgrims were killed in a road accident. The pilgrims were part of a team who had set up a community kitchen at the pilgrimage.<ref>{{Cite news |date=27 July 2012|agency=PTI|title=16 Amarnath Yatra pilgrims killed in road accident|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/16-amarnath-yatra-pilgrims-killed-in-road-accident-494361|url-status=live|access-date=2021-12-27|work=NDTV|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170721081754/http://www.ndtv.com:80/india-news/16-amarnath-yatra-pilgrims-killed-in-road-accident-494361 |archive-date=21 July 2017 }}</ref> Three people were killed and more injured due to a [[cloudburst]] at [[Baltal, Jammu and Kashmir|Baltal]] in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Akhzer|first=Adil|date=2015-07-26|title=Amarnath: 3 killed, 11 injured as cloudburst hits yatra base camp in Baltal|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/2-minors-killed-as-cloudburst-hits-amarnath-yatra-base-camp/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-12-27|website=The Indian Express|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150726133848/http://indianexpress.com:80/article/india/india-others/2-minors-killed-as-cloudburst-hits-amarnath-yatra-base-camp/ |archive-date=26 July 2015 }}</ref> Of the 622,000 yatra pilgrims in 2012, 130 died during the yatra. The major cause was attributed to people who were not physically fit for the arduous climb, high elevations, and adverse weather undertook the yatra. Some also died in road accidents before reaching the base camp from where the yatra starts. Of the 130 deaths, 88 were due to purported health reasons and 42 in road accidents.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2 August 2012|title=Amarnath yatra ends, Charri Mubarak reaches shrine|work=The Economic Times|agency=PTI|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/amarnath-yatra-ends-charri-mubarak-reaches-shrine/articleshow/15327136.cms|access-date=2021-12-27}}</ref> On 16 July 2017, 18 pilgrims died and many were seriously injured after a [[Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation|JKSRTC]] bus, which was plying from [[Jammu|Jammu city]] to [[Pahalgam]] as part of Amarnath Yatra Convoy, fell into a 150-ft deep gorge near [[Nachlana]] area of [[Jammu division|Jammu]]'s [[Ramban district]] around 1:45 P.M. 16 pilgrims had died on the spot, while 2 succumbed later to their injuries.<ref>{{Cite web |title=16 Amarnath yatris killed as bus falls into 150-foot gorge |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2017/jul/16/16-amarnath-yatris-killed-as-bus-falls-into-150-foot-gorge-1629484.html |access-date=2022-07-10 |website=The New Indian Express}}</ref> This accident happened less than a week after a deadly terrorist attack on a bus carrying Amarnath Yatra pilgrims from [[Gujarat]]. | ||
On 8 July 2022, at around 5:30 pm, [[flash floods]] due to localised [[cloudburst]] near the holy cave shrine washed away scores of pilgrims. According to reports, at least fifteen pilgrims died in the [[2022 Amarnath floods|incident]]. Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant-governor Manoj Sinha announced compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the 15 pilgrims who died in the flash floods.{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}} | On 8 July 2022, at around 5:30 pm, [[flash floods]] due to localised [[cloudburst]] near the holy cave shrine washed away scores of pilgrims. According to reports, at least fifteen pilgrims died in the [[2022 Amarnath floods|incident]]. Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant-governor Manoj Sinha announced compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the families of the 15 pilgrims who died in the flash floods.{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}} | ||
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====2001 massacre ==== | ====2001 massacre ==== | ||
{{main|Amarnath pilgrimage terrorist-attack massacre (2001)}} | {{main|Amarnath pilgrimage terrorist-attack massacre (2001)}} | ||
On 20 July 2001, a terrorist threw a grenade on a pilgrim night camp at Sheshnag near the Amarnath shrine in which at least 13 persons, including 3 women, were killed in two explosions and firing by militants, 2 were security officials and 3 of the killed person were Muslim civilians.<ref name="ind1">{{Cite web|date=10 July 2017|title=Amarnath terror attack survivor narrates tale of punctured bus tyre and terror strike|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/amarnath-yatra-terrorist-attack-kashmir-tyre-puncture/1/999075.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170712002443/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/amarnath-yatra-terrorist-attack-kashmir-tyre-puncture/1/999075.html|archive-date=12 July 2017|access-date=12 July 2017|publisher=India Today}}</ref | On 20 July 2001, a terrorist threw a grenade on a pilgrim night camp at Sheshnag near the Amarnath shrine in which at least 13 persons, including 3 women, were killed in two explosions and firing by militants, 2 were security officials and 3 of the killed person were Muslim civilians.<ref name=":2"/><ref name="ind1">{{Cite web|date=10 July 2017|title=Amarnath terror attack survivor narrates tale of punctured bus tyre and terror strike|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/amarnath-yatra-terrorist-attack-kashmir-tyre-puncture/1/999075.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170712002443/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/amarnath-yatra-terrorist-attack-kashmir-tyre-puncture/1/999075.html|archive-date=12 July 2017|access-date=12 July 2017|publisher=India Today}}</ref> 15 other were also injured in the attack.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-07-11|title=Amarnath Yatra devotees have faced repeated terror attacks: Here's the blood-soaked history of pilgrimage|url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/amarnath-yatra-devotees-have-faced-repeated-terror-attacks-heres-the-blood-soaked-history-of-pilgrimage-3799091.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170711065834/http://www.firstpost.com/india/amarnath-yatra-devotees-have-faced-repeated-terror-attacks-heres-the-blood-soaked-history-of-pilgrimage-3799091.html|archive-date=11 July 2017|access-date=2021-12-27|website=Firstpost}}</ref> | ||
====2002 massacre ==== | ====2002 massacre ==== | ||
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===Amarnath Cave Temple Yatra tax controversy=== | ===Amarnath Cave Temple Yatra tax controversy=== | ||
The [[Government of Jammu and Kashmir]] had in 2010 issued a notification under the State Motor Vehicle Taxation Act 1957, under which vehicles going to Amarnath Yatra will have to pay a tax of {{INR}} 2,000 for seven days and {{INR}} 2,000 per day after that. Similar provisions were made for pilgrims going to Sri Mata Vaishno Devi under which they need to pay {{INR}} 2000 for a period of three days. India's central political party the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] expressed its ire over imposition of entry fee and accused the then UPA led central government to direct the Jammu and Kashmir dispensation to desist from making attempts to "discriminate" between followers of various religions. BJP criticized the decision "as a reminiscent of Jizya imposed during Mughal period on Hindus," In response to the question in [[Lok Sabha]] (Lower house of the Indian Parliament) then Minister of State for Finance, [[S. S. Palanimanickam]] clarified that tax is levied on all India Tourist Vehicles entering the state and is therefore not correct to say that Government of Jammu & Kashmir is levying any additional tax on vehicles going to Amarnath and [[Vaishno Devi]]. He also said that Taxation of Motor vehicles falls under the purview of State Governments as per the seventh schedule of Constitution of India and Central Government cannot direct the State Government to change the tax rate on vehicles.<ref>{{Cite news |date=18 June 2010|agency=PTI|title=Remove entry fee on buses to Vaishno Devi, Amarnath: BJP|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/remove-entry-fee-on-buses-to-vaishno-devi-amarnath-bjp/articleshow/6064803.cms|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190216172418/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Remove-entry-fee-on-buses-to-Vaishno-Devi-Amarnath-BJP/articleshow/6064803.cms|archive-date=16 February 2019|access-date=2021-12-27|newspaper=The Times of India}}</ref | The [[Government of Jammu and Kashmir]] had in 2010 issued a notification under the State Motor Vehicle Taxation Act 1957, under which vehicles going to Amarnath Yatra will have to pay a tax of {{INR}} 2,000 for seven days and {{INR}} 2,000 per day after that. Similar provisions were made for pilgrims going to Sri Mata Vaishno Devi under which they need to pay {{INR}} 2000 for a period of three days. India's central political party the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] expressed its ire over imposition of entry fee and accused the then UPA led central government to direct the Jammu and Kashmir dispensation to desist from making attempts to "discriminate" between followers of various religions. BJP criticized the decision "as a reminiscent of Jizya imposed during Mughal period on Hindus," In response to the question in [[Lok Sabha]] (Lower house of the Indian Parliament) then Minister of State for Finance, [[S. S. Palanimanickam]] clarified that tax is levied on all India Tourist Vehicles entering the state and is therefore not correct to say that Government of Jammu & Kashmir is levying any additional tax on vehicles going to Amarnath and [[Vaishno Devi]]. He also said that Taxation of Motor vehicles falls under the purview of State Governments as per the seventh schedule of Constitution of India and Central Government cannot direct the State Government to change the tax rate on vehicles.<ref name=":0"/><ref>{{Cite news |date=18 June 2010|agency=PTI|title=Remove entry fee on buses to Vaishno Devi, Amarnath: BJP|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/remove-entry-fee-on-buses-to-vaishno-devi-amarnath-bjp/articleshow/6064803.cms|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190216172418/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Remove-entry-fee-on-buses-to-Vaishno-Devi-Amarnath-BJP/articleshow/6064803.cms|archive-date=16 February 2019|access-date=2021-12-27|newspaper=The Times of India}}</ref> | ||
==Popular culture== | ==Popular culture== | ||