SASB clarifies on Shivalingam formation at Amarnath cave

Srinagar, June 18: The Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) today described as ''unfortunate'' the attempts being made to rake up a controversy over the ice-lingam formation at the holy cave, saying there is no question of the Board tampering with the sanctity of the revered shrine.

Reacting to media reports, a spokesperson of the SASB said the Board got information from its sources from the holy cave that there was very small lingam formation this year compared to previous years.

Accordingly, as per routine, a team of board officials visited the cave in the second week of May and found that the lingam formation had not taken place, he added.

However, the spokesman said the ice-lingams of Parvati and Ganesha had formed at their normal place, five feet from Shivalingam.

He said the board sent a team from the High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) on May 14 to inspect the track and surroundings of the cave.

The team found the cave-top totally free from snow and the glacier cover thereon receded by 100 mt or so. The Shivalingam site was found dry.

The spokesman said another team of Snow and Avalanche Studies Establishment (SASE) was thereafter sent on May 18 to the holy cave shrine to look into the possible causes. Through visual inspection and satellite pictures, this team too confirmed the receding of glaciers primarily on account of global warming, he added.

He said there was also a little debate whether the October 2005 earthquake might have brought about some geological changes affecting the seepage of water at the Shivalingam's usual place.

The spokesman said a welcome development was reported by the SASE about water trickling at the speed of 2 to 3 drops per minute on May 19 and by the end of that month, there were reports of heavy snowfall in the area and that a Shivalingam had started forming.

''Prof M N Kaul, an expert in Glaciology, University of Jammu, was consulted and he stated that with water seeping through the rock the Shivalingam could form,'' he added.

The spokesman said the expert said that in the 1980s also, this had happened and he had seen a Shivalingam of a different size and shape formed.

A meeting of the SASB was convened on May 30 to apprise the members about the status of the ice-lingam and one of the members, Mahant Deependra Giri, stated that this was not something unusual as it happens once in 12 years or so, he added.

The spokesman said prior to commencement of the annual pilgrimage, complaints about piling up of snow flakes and application of vermillion on the Shivalingam by some people had been received and immediately the grill at the sanctum sanctorum was raised and the side entrance closed..

''This was primarily done to prevent the people from moving near the lingams of Lord Shiva, Parvati and Ganesh. Absence or small formation of lingam is not a new phenomenon as it had been happening earlier also. Still devotees have aastha in the cave shrine and they throng it, braving odious tracks to pay obeisance because the place is so holy,'' he added.

On allegations about the man-made ice-lingam, the spokesman said if that was the intention of the board, then a Shivalingam of the original form and size could have been put in place.

''Who else knows better about the size and the shape of the lingam than the Board?'' he asked while emphasising that piling up of some snow over the lingam by someone could not be prevented as the shrine remains unguarded for more than ten months.

The spokesman said the board was not a commercial organisation looking for profit, but only a facilitator to regulate and provide logistic support for smooth pilgrimage.

There was no question of trampling the sanctity of the shrine or playing with the religious sentiments of devotees, he added.

The spokesman expressed the hope that the pilgrims would not get swayed by ''concocted and motivated stories'' from quarters who have vested interests.

A large number of devotees every year visit the holy cave shrine of Amarnath situated on the narrow openings between the mountains of Lidder valley at a height of 3,888 mt in south Kashmir.

The Amarnath Cave is one of the twelve holiest shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva, collectively known as 'Jyotirlingas'.

More than 5,00,000 pilgrims are expected to visit the holy cave shrine this year. Last year, the pilgrimage remained incident-free and more than four lakh devotees had a glimpse of the 'ice Shivalingam' (phallic symbol of Lord Shiva).

The lingam is formed naturally with an ice stalagmite, which waxes and wanes with the moon.

UNI