Pilgrims' Progress

The annual Hindu 44-day pilgrimage to Amarnath cave in India-administered Kashmir began on June 28. About half a million Hindu devotees visit the cave shrine every year during the pilgrimage for a glimpse of the ice stalagmite which Hindus believe is a Shiva Lingam, the symbol of Lord Shiva. The cave, which was discovered in 1850 by Muslim shepherd Buta Malik, is situated at 3,888 meters above the sea level. There are two routes to the cave - one through Baltal-Sonamarg via central Kashmir and another from Pahalgam-Chandanwari in south Kashmir. This year due to heavy snow, the pilgrimage from Pahalgam-Chandanwari route was delayed and began on July 2. The route is a difficult challenge to manage as falling stones and landslides are common, while high altitude sickness is a danger, especially for older pilgrims. At least 33 pilgrims have died this year.

/Abid Bhat/Al Jazeera Hindu pilgrims perform a religious ceremony during their journey to the Amarnath cave in south Kashmir, about 125km from the summer capital, Srinagar. /Abid Bhat/Al Jazeera  The pilgrimage to the cave is an arduous trek, high up in the Himalayas. /Abid Bhat/Al Jazeera Pilgrims carry the Indian flag on a glacier on their way to the cave. The area is ecologically fragile and remains under snow and subzero temperature for most of the year. /Abid Bhat/Al Jazeera A Hindu man smokes marijuana in a chillum, a cone-shaped pipe. /Abid Bhat/Al Jazeera  Pilgrims make their way through the mountains. /Abid Bhat/Al Jazeera A Hindu holy man carrying a trident shouts religious hymns during the pilgrimage. /Abid Bhat/Al Jazeera Pilgrims on horseback cross a glacier-filled pass on their way to the shrine. Concerns have been raised in recent years over a large influx of pilgrims visiting the ecologically fragile Himalayan region every year. /Abid Bhat/Al Jazeera A Hindu woman is being carried by Muslim bearers. For centuries both communities have helped each other in the pilgrimage. /Abid Bhat/Al Jazeera Pilgrims on horseback reach the cave. /Abid Bhat/Al Jazeera A silhouette of porters carrying a Hindu woman on a palanquin. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims trek through dangerous passes in the conflicted region along cold streams, glacier-fed rivulets and frozen lakes, to reach the cave. /Abid Bhat/Al Jazeera Thousands of pilgrims visit the 3,880-metre high cave and many suffer from respiratory problems due to the low oxygen level. /Abid Bhat/Al Jazeera A Hindu woman pilgrim gestures as she is being carried on a palanquin by Muslim bearers on her way to the cave. The pilgrimage is expected to conclude on August 10. /Abid Bhat/Al Jazeera A multi-tier security plan is in place to ensure the safe passage for pilgrims as armed groups are still battling for the region's independence from India. /Abid Bhat/Al Jazeera Members of the Jammu and Kashmir Disaster Response Force (JKDRF) assist a physically challenged pilgrim on a glacier. /Abid Bhat/Al Jazeera Women walk toward the cave. The Amarnath Shrine Board - which organises the pilgrimages - has made fitness certificates mandatory for pilgrims. Courtesy: Al Jazeera