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The early melting of the ice Shivling on the Amarnath cave shrine this yr is attributed to a extreme heatwave in Kashmir. It has considerably impacted the annual Amarnath Yatra.
Devotees who returned from the holy cave to Srinagar as we speak stated that the naturally fashioned ice Shivling, a sacred image of Lord Shiva, has nearly fully melted. It’s solely been 10 days for the reason that Yatra started on July 3. Studies point out that the Shivling, which traditionally stood 12 to fifteen ft tall, has been decreased to only a few inches. Solely the bottom of the ice formation, believed to signify Lord Shiva’s ft, stays within the holy cave. This marks one of many quickest melting occasions within the current historical past of the Amarnath Yatra.
Regardless of the Shivling’s absence, over 1.70 lakh pilgrims had visited the three,880-meter-high holy collapse Anantnag district by July 12. With 26 days nonetheless left within the pilgrimage, the melting of the Shivling has not affected the religion of Lord Shiva’s devotees. Whereas acknowledging that the Shivling has melted, devotees proceed their pilgrimage, emphasizing their religious devotion to the holy cave. Chanting “Har Har Mahadev” and “Bam Bam Bhole,” 1000’s are nonetheless trekking to the holy cave and finishing their pilgrimage.
Jitendra Ghalot from Rajasthan stated, “My journey began on the fifth, and we reached Baltal on the seventh. On the second day, we had Baba’s darshan. The amenities are superb, and safety may be very excessive. The Shivling dimension may be very small. I inform pilgrims they need to nonetheless go, because the holy cave itself resembles Lord Shiva. We’re not disillusioned—there’s nice religious worth within the cave.”
Satish Kumar stated, “We did darshan on July 9. It’s my second time, and this time the amenities are a lot better. The Shivling has melted, however we got here with religion, and we’re happy. Folks ought to come and do darshan of the place of Lord Shiva. We have been informed that the Shivling is melting, however we nonetheless got here.”
Satish Kathuriya stated, “We did darshan yesterday. Lord Shiva is current in every part. Even when the Shivling isn’t there, Lord Shiva’s ft are nonetheless seen.”
The Shivling’s period has been shrinking through the years, reflecting the impacts of regional local weather change. In 2022, it lasted 28 days. In 2023, it melted in 22 days. In 2024, it lasted solely 16 days. Now, in 2025, it has melted throughout the first 10 days of the Yatra’s begin.
Climate consultants from Kashmir stated that glaciers close to the Amarnath cave are retreating, and there was no systematic analysis for the reason that Nineteen Eighties to evaluate their response to local weather change. The area’s glaciers, together with 5 close to the cave, are shrinking in mass and space. This impacts water availability, and the shortage of snowfall and rising temperatures are key contributors to the Shivling’s fast melting.
Furthermore, when the pilgrimage begins, huge human exercise provides to the native temperature, additional accelerating the melting of the ice-formed Shivling. This yr, the Kashmir Valley has witnessed uncommon climate. A 60–70% deficit in rainfall and snowfall has been recorded in each summer season and winter. Temperatures have damaged previous data, with Srinagar recording a excessive of 37.4°C—the very best since 1953.
The heatwave of 2025, mixed with minimal snow cowl on pilgrimage routes, has led to dry and dusty circumstances, a stark distinction to the glacier-laden paths of earlier years. Consultants attribute this to broader local weather change developments, with regional temperatures rising considerably since Could. Local weather consultants say temperatures have been constantly rising over the past 10 years and are anticipated to rise additional because of world warming, which has severely impacted Himalayan glaciers.
A climate skilled from Kashmir stated, “We noticed very excessive temperatures this yr—greater than these in 1953. This was the most popular June and July in Kashmir. Even now, temperatures are above regular. Precipitation has been very low. Glaciers are melting, and water ranges in rivers just like the Jhelum are very low. Studies are coming in concerning the Shivling melting—it’s a direct impact of worldwide warming. Temperatures have been rising for the final ten years and can proceed to extend.”
Officers have additionally stopped predicting the Shivling’s period lately because of unpredictable climate patterns, selecting as an alternative to deal with enhancing amenities equivalent to routes and camps.
The untimely melting of the Shivling is now seen as a barometer of local weather misery within the Kashmir Himalayas. Consultants are calling for formal analysis to raised perceive glacier soften and its long-term impacts.
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