The Amaranth Temple Pilgrimage is made annually to the shrine of Amarnath, which is dedicated to God Shiva. The Amarnath caves are situated atop Mount Amarnath in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and are amongst the most important and holy shrines for the Hindu devotees. The cave is situated at an altitude of 3,888 m from Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir and is approximately 130 feet high. Over 5,000 years old, the cave is engulfed with snow for the year round except in summers when it is open for the pilgrims. Inside the cave is the Shiva Lingam, which is an ice formation and waxes and wanes with the phases of the moon.
The Hindu legends state that it is in this cave that Lord Shiva explained the secret of life and eternity to his divine consort, Parvati. The Shiva Linga is accompanied by two other ice formations, that of Parvati and Shiva’s son, Ganesha.
Pilgrims visit this holy site during the Amarnath Yatra around the Hindu holy month of Shraavana. The Amarnath Yatra undertaken to the Himalayan cave shrine is marked by 'pratham pujan' to invoke the blessings of Shri Amarnath ji.