amarnath

 The lingam is a natural stalagmite formation inside a 40 m (130 ft) tall cave at an elevation of 3,888 m (12,756 ft) on the Amarnath Mountain, 

Amarnath Temple Ice Lingam is a naturally formed ice stalagmite inside a cave in the Himalayas, revered as a sacred symbol of Lord Shiva.  It forms from water droplets dripping from the cave ceiling and freezing layer by layer, growing and shrinking with the lunar cycle—reaching its peak size on Shravan Purnima (full moon in July–August). While the exact height can vary annually, it generally attains a full height of approximately 5 feet (1.5 meters) at its peak

 The lingam is located at an altitude of 3,888 meters (12,756 feet) in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, inside a limestone cave that is approximately 40 meters high and 80 feet deep.

The ice lingam is not man-made but swayambhu (self-manifested), with two smaller ice formations nearby representing Goddess Parvati and Lord Ganesha.  It is central to the Amarnath Yatra, a major Hindu pilgrimage held annually during the month of Shravan (July–August), attracting hundreds of thousands of devotees. 

However, recent years have seen concerns over climate change and environmental degradation.  The ice lingam has been melting earlier each year—sometimes by mid-July—due to rising temperatures and increased human activity. In 2025, over 2.5 lakh pilgrims visited, but 95% did not see the lingam as it had already melted significantly.  Experts urge the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) to regulate pilgrim numbers, ban plastic, and follow environmental laws to protect the fragile Himalayan ecosystem

According to the ancient Hindu texts of the Mahabharata and Puranas a lingam represents Shiva.^[6] The lingam waxes during May to August, as snow melts in the Himalayas above the cave, and water seeps into the rocks of the cave; thereafter, the lingam gradually wanes.^{[1][unreliable source?]} Religious beliefs hold that the lingam grows and shrinks with the phases of the moon, reaching its height during the summer festival.^{[7][unreliable source?]} Hindus believe this is the place where Shiva explained the secret of life and eternity to his divine consort, Parvati.^[

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