Ice 'Shivalingam' melting in Amarnath cave

The ice 'Shivalingam' (the phallic symbol of Lord Shiva), which was formed fully this year due to heavy snowfall here, at the holy cave shrine of Amarnath has started melting in view of the hot weather in the cave periphery.

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Lt General (retd) S K Sinha said in an interview to a television channel the 'ice-lingam' was formed fully when he had visited the holy cave shrine recently to take stock of the arrangements for the two-month-long pilgrimage, commencing from June 30.

''There is no control over weather,'' he said, adding only weather God could preserve it for the entire pilgrimage period.

About the controversy over the alleged tampering with the 'ice-lingam' at the cave shrine last year, which had forced the authorities to order a judicial inquiry into the matter, General Sinha said the court verdict had proved that nothing was done with the lingam.

''The controversy is over now, the Governor, who is also the chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB),'' said.

This time some measures, such as preventing tourists from throwing things like flowers on the lingam among other things, had been taken, he added.

A pilgrim Surinder Kumar, who returned yesterday after having 'darshan' of the ice-lingam, said one could see it melting as it was very hot in the cave vicinity.

Mr Kumar, who paid the obeisance along with three others from Jammu at the cave shrine on June 23, said the pilgrimage was a dream come true for them.

However, they said the ice-lingam would melt further if there was no change in the unusual above normal maximum and minimum temperatures.

Official sources said the ice-lingam was about 15 to 16 feet in the first week of June due to heavy snowfall in the last week of March. ''However, now it is reduced to only 8 to 10 feet,'' they added.

People in the valley experienced the hottest night yesterday when the minimum temperature was recorded at above 22 degrees Celsius.

Mahant Deependra Giri, the custodian of Charri-Mubarak Swami Amarnath (the holy mace of Lord Shiva), had resigned from the SASB on September 15 last year following the allegations that the ice-lingam was artificial.

The High Court, later, dismissed the writ petition for want of evidence and directed the SASB to take all necessary measures to protect and safeguard the 'Shivalingam'.