Srinagar: The naturally occurring ice Shivling at the Amarnath Cave has almost entirely melted within the first week of this year’s Amarnath Yatra, raising concerns over the impact of changing weather patterns on the revered formation, Observer Post reported.
The ice stalagmite, revered by devotees as Baba Barfani, measured nearly seven feet in height in May but had reduced to a faint remnant by July 7. Experts attribute the rapid melting to above-normal temperatures, inadequate snowfall, repeated heatwave conditions and the continuous movement of pilgrims inside the cave.
Even as the ice formation has nearly vanished, the 57-day pilgrimage continues uninterrupted, with thousands of devotees visiting the shrine each day. Many pilgrims maintain that the sanctity of the cave transcends the physical presence of the ice Shivling.
Several devotees who recently undertook the pilgrimage said their faith remained unwavering despite the melting of the formation.
In a post on X, People’s Democratic Party leader Iltija Mufti said the ice lingam had already melted just a week into the annual Amarnath Yatra. She blamed indiscriminate felling of trees, illegal mining, poor waste management and dangerous depletion of water levels as major factors accelerating climate change in the Valley.
She alleged that environmental concerns had become a casualty of Kashmir’s politics, saying the issue carried “no power currency”.
Calling for urgent action, Iltija advocated a long-term sustainable environmental and tourism policy on the lines of Bhutan, warning that without such measures, Kashmir’s mountains, rivers and glaciers would not survive and “Kashmir will cease to exist.”
