Amarnath Yatra 2026: Distressing news has emerged for Amarnath pilgrims. The *Himling* (ice lingam) has completely melted just five days after the commencement of the pilgrimage. According to media reports, over one lakh devotees have visited the cave and offered prayers so far. The Amarnath Yatra began on July 3 this year, and by July 7, the *Baba Barfani* (ice lingam) had completely vanished. The annual 57-day-long Amarnath Yatra usually concludes on Raksha Bandhan, coinciding with the full moon day of the *Sawan* month. However, the disappearance of the ice lingam within a mere five days has raised questions regarding the Amarnath Yatra Shrine Board.

When officials from the Amarnath Yatra Shrine Board were questioned about this, they dismissed the issue by attributing the situation to a natural process. However, environmentalists in Kashmir believe that allowing pilgrim numbers to exceed the site's capacity is the primary cause. They argue that the ice lingam cannot withstand the heat generated by the breath of hundreds of thousands of devotees—a fact acknowledged by Shrine Board officials, who nevertheless failed to take any action. Furthermore, all measures implemented to prevent the ice lingam from melting proved ineffective.

The natural ice *Shivling* that forms inside the Amarnath cave each year takes shape based on weather and temperature conditions and gradually melts over time. This year, however, reports emerged that the *Shivling* had completely melted within just a few days of the pilgrimage's start. Experts believe that rising temperatures in high-altitude regions, climatic changes, and natural conditions influence the formation and melting processes of the ice *Shivling*.

According to media reports, the Amarnath ice *Shivling* stood 7 feet tall on May 23. By June 29, it had shrunk to 5 feet, and new images released on Tuesday reveal that it has now melted away completely. This is not the first instance of the ice *Shivling* melting rapidly; a similar trend has been observed over the past several years. This situation is arising due to steadily rising temperatures and global warming.

According to experts, Amarnath is surrounded by glaciers, and the influx of large numbers of people causes a rise in temperature, leading the glaciers to melt. A similar situation was observed in 2016, when the ice *lingam* melted within just ten days of the pilgrimage's commencement. A similar scenario also occurred in 2013, when the ice *lingam* vanished before the pilgrimage had concluded.

This year, the Amarnath Yatra began on July 3 and will conclude on Friday, August 28, coinciding with Raksha Bandhan. The pilgrimage typically lasts for 57 days each year. According to religious beliefs, undertaking the Amarnath Yatra washes away all sins and liberates the individual from the cycle of birth and death. It is considered one of the holiest pilgrimages in Hinduism. Religious tradition holds that it was in this very cave that Lord Shiva revealed the secret of immortality to Goddess Parvati; this is why the pilgrimage holds such profound spiritual significance.

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