Amarnath Yatra: While a record 1.51 lakh yatris performed Darshan at the Holy Cave during the first week of the Amarnath Yatra, disappointing news emerged for the current Amarnath yatris as the Ice Lingam has completely melted at the holy cave, leaving only the base of the Shivling intact, which is also made of ice.
According to experts, the rapid melting of the lingam occurred due to the heatwave and very high temperatures over the last week, accelerating the melting process, officials stated.
This marks the first time since 2008, when the helicopter began landing at the cave, that the holy lingam melted in just 5 days. In 2013, it melted within the first 10 days of the yatra. It has been more than a decade since the ice lingam typically remained until Shravan Purnima (Raksha Bandhan), which marks the official end of the Yatra.
This year’s yatra spans 52 days, starting from June 29th and ending on August 19th. Today marks the 8th day of the yatra, and due to rains, the yatra has been suspended on both routes.