₹ 12680

Sonamarg - Baltal - Amarnath Cave

On the second day of your Amarnath Yatra Tour Package by Helicopter, you will be transferred to Neelgrath in Baltal by car. Neelrgath is where the helipad is located. Weather permitiing, helicopters from Baltal operate between 6:00 Am to 5:00 PM. The helicopter ride will drop you at Panjtarni. The Amarnath Cave is located 6 KM further up from here.

From Panjtarni helipad, visit Amarnath Cave (6 K.M from Panjtarni) on foot (2 hrs walk), hitch a pony ride or you may even hire a palki. The cave is a sea of tranquility and spirituality. Behold the massive shiv lingam which forms naturally of snow every year. Besides the massive shiv lingams are two smaller ice lingams which are believed to represent Ma Parvati and Lord Ganesha.
After darshan, come back to Panjtarni to take the ride back to Neelgrath Helipad in Baltal. From here, you will be transferred back to Srinagar to check into a deluxe houseboat.
Dinner and overnight stay in houseboat in Srinagar.

Departure

After a leisurely breakfast, you will be assisted in a smooth transfer to the Srinagar airport for your onward journey.

The Significance of Sri Amarnath Ji Yatra

As per the legend, once Ma Parvati asked Lord Shiva why he started wearing the ‘mund mala’ (bead of heads) around his neck. To this Lord Shiva replied that he adds a head to the bead everytime Parvati dies and is born again. Ma parvati asked Lord Shiva the reason why she has to die and born again and again whereas he, lord Shiva is immortal. To this lord replied that she’ll have to listen to the amar katha (tale of immortality) to understand the reason.

To tell the story, Shiva started to search for a place so aloof that no living thing could overhear the tale. Lord Shiva choose this cave to narrate the story but before proceeding with the tale of immortality, lord created kalagni and ordered him to spread fire to eliminate every living thing in and around the cave.

However two eggs that were hidden beneath the deer skin asan of the lord were saved from the fire. During the course of story narration they hatched and overheard the story and so become immortal.

There are several stories behind discovery of this cave and Shiva Lingam. The two popular one are of a shepherd who discovered it in 15th century and another of sage Bhrigu, who was the first to have darshan of lord Amarnath.

Whichever be the reason, lacs of devotees flock to Amarnath Cave every year in the month of shravana (July - August) to pay reverence to Baba Barfani and seek eternal happiness and salvation.

Inside the cave, the image of Shiva in the form of a ice stalagmite lingam is a prize to behold for devotes. This ice lingam is believed to wax and wane with the Moon's cycle. Beside the massive Shiv Lingam, two more Ice stalagmites could be seen which are believed to represent Maa Parvati and Lord Ganesha.