Srinagar, June 20: An eighteen-feet high Amarnath cave lingam (icicle) has appeared this year for the benefit of thousands of Shiva devotees preparing to begin the annual Amarnath yatra from June 25.
Officials of the Amarnath Shrine Board believe, devotees this year will get more time for the darshan (obeisance) of the lingam.
Camp director B D Maingi said, if the weather doesn't turn warm, the lingam will be available for darshan for all of 39 days.
There is still a large amount of snow outside the holy Amarnath cave, and work is on to remove the snow for the benefit of devotees. Workers are on the job double-shift to remove the snow, officials said,.
Pancharatni base camp director Rajnish Sharma said, said there was still 7 to 8 feeet deep snow on the route from the cave till Sheshnag. This snow will be removed by the opening day of yatra.
There has been 25 to 30 feet snowfall this year on both the routes to the holy cave , and employees are trying to remove the snow on a war footing.
Mohammed Altaf, CEO of Pahalgam Development Authority said, Shrine Board officials have been posted at each key point on the route from Pahalgam to the holy cave.
Work on the Pahalgam and Baltal routes is almost complete. Camps and langar are being set up on both the routes for the pilgrims.
A tight security cover is being put in place for the safety of pilgrims.
