Every year, lakhs of devotees from around the country travel all the way to visit Amarnath. As part of the yatra, that is held every year, the pilgrims come say their prayers at the naturally made ice Shivalinga. This year it has been noticed that the said Shivalinga is melting at an alarming rate and has already been melted by about 80 percent. The Amarnath Shrine Board has expressed their concern about the same.
Amarnath Shivalinga Could Have Melted Because Of Excessive Heat
According to various news reports, it is believed that one of the key reasons for the ice sculptrure to melt, could be rise in temperatures in the upper reaches of the Kashmiri Himalayas. The shivalinga was formed by mid-June, which it usually does. Around the same time, the yatra begins as well. However, this time, the rate of it melting has increased. It had melted by about 50 percent in the first week of July. Post that, by about July 18, it had melted by 80 percent.
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Amarnath Yatra Has Been Cancelled For The First Time In 150 Years
According to a news report by The Tribune, this is the first time in a 150 years that the Amarnath Yatra has been cancelled. The Amarnath Shrine Board, chaired by Lt. Governor GC Murmu, also attended by the UT administration officers, came to decision after deliberating over the increase in number of cases. Jammu & Kashmir has reported around 260 deaths due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Over 14,000 people in the state have also been infected by it. Keeping this in mind, they felt that it wasn’t safe for the devotees to be travelling all the way for the yatra.
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Devotees Will Be Able To Do ‘Virtual Darshan’
The shrine of Amarnath is located in the Kashmiri Himalayas at an altitude of 3,888 metres. To get here, the journey begins from Srinagar, which is about 140 kms from here. There are over 10 lakh devotees who visit the Amarnath shrine every year. The shrine board has tried to do their best to make sure that they are not disappointed. The annual pilgrimage (yatra), was scheduled to begin on June 23 which coincides with Skandshasthi. It would have then concluded on August 3, on the day of Raksha Bhandan.
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While releasing an official statement, the board said that the Amarnath Shrine Board will conduct a live telecast of the darshan for all its devotees. The morning and the evening aarti will be broadcasted, along with the traditional rituals. The pandemic may have had a an impact on the yatra, but the board is trying its best to make sure that the pilgrims are not left disappointed.