Amarnath Cave Temple, Pahalgam (Amarnath), Jammu & Kashmir
Photo: Niharika Krishna, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Amarnath Cave Temple Timings

Published darshan hours for Amarnath Cave Temple vary; see the timings below and reconfirm with the temple before visiting.

Lord Shiva, worshipped as a naturally-formed ice lingam (Shivling); the cave is also revered as the Mahamaya Shakti Peeth · Pahalgam (Amarnath), Jammu & Kashmir

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In Pahalgam (Amarnath), Jammu & Kashmir, Amarnath Cave Temple honours Lord Shiva, worshipped as a naturally-formed ice lingam (Shivling); the cave is also revered as the Mahamaya Shakti Peeth. It is also known as Amarnath Ji, Baba Amarnath, Amarnath Gufa.

One of the holiest Shiva shrines in India, famed for its naturally-forming ice lingam and the annual Amarnath Yatra, a demanding high-altitude Himalayan pilgrimage. The Amarnath cave is one of the most sacred shrines of Shiva, and the cave itself is revered as the Mahamaya Shakti Pitha, one of the 51 Shakti Pithas marking where a part of the goddess Sati is believed to have fallen.

Jammu & Kashmir carries a distinct temple identity of its own: Home of two of India's greatest Himalayan pilgrimages, the cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi at Katra and the ice-lingam of Amarnath high in the Kashmir mountains.

Darshan hours and daily worship

Published sources do not give a single clean daily window for this temple; see the notes below for what is documented.

The shrine is open only during the annual Amarnath Yatra season (roughly July-August, in the month of Shravan, culminating around Raksha Bandhan/Shravan Purnima). Access and timings are controlled by the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB); registration is mandatory and helicopter operations and helipads are regulated to protect the ice lingam.

Poojas and daily rituals

Rituals during the yatra season, administered by the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board.

Weekly or monthly auspicious daysShravan Purnima (the closing day of the yatra) is the most significant.
Signature annual eventsThe annual Amarnath Yatra.

Festivals and special-day timings

Regular darshan hours are usually extended, or set aside entirely, on these dates.

FestivalPeriodWhat happens
Amarnath YatraJuly-August (Shravan)The annual pilgrimage to the cave, culminating around Shravan Purnima (Raksha Bandhan), when the ice lingam is typically at its fullest.

History and architecture

Built or establishedA natural cave shrine (no built structure)

Architecture

A natural limestone-and-gypsum cave about 40 m (130 ft) tall, set at an altitude of 3,888 m (12,756 ft) on the Amarnath mountain in the Himalayas. The object of worship is a stalagmite ice lingam formed by water freezing drop by drop from the cave roof, regarded as a manifestation of Shiva; two smaller ice formations represent Parvati and Ganesha.

History

The Amarnath cave is one of the most sacred shrines of Shiva, and the cave itself is revered as the Mahamaya Shakti Pitha, one of the 51 Shakti Pithas marking where a part of the goddess Sati is believed to have fallen. By tradition it is the cave where Shiva revealed the secret of immortality to Parvati. The ice lingam waxes from around May to August as Himalayan snow melts and water seeps into the cave, and then gradually wanes; devotees believe it grows and shrinks with the phases of the moon.

Planning your visit

Entry feeYatra registration through the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) is mandatory. Every pilgrim needs a Compulsory Health Certificate (CHC) from an SASB-authorised doctor, and advance registration typically opens in mid-April (15 April for the 2026 season) through designated bank branches across India, with separate published procedures for group registrations and for NRI/overseas/foreign-national pilgrims. Pony, porter, palki and helicopter services are chargeable at government-notified rates published each season by SASB; helicopter availability is not guaranteed every year (for the 2026 yatra, the government declared the whole route a 'No Flying Zone' from 1 July 2026, suspending helicopter services that season), so devotees should confirm current helicopter status directly with SASB before planning.
Dress codeWarm, weatherproof clothing and sturdy trekking shoes are essential at high altitude; pilgrims must meet SASB health and registration requirements.
Best time to visitOnly during the official yatra window (roughly July-August); the shrine and routes are otherwise closed by snow.
NearbyPahalgam, Chandanwari, Sheshnag Lake and Baltal.

How to reach

The cave is in the Anantnag district, about 141 km from Srinagar. Pilgrims trek from base camps, the traditional longer route from Pahalgam (via Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtarni) and the shorter, steeper route from Baltal. Nearest airport and railhead are at Srinagar; helicopter services to Panchtarni operate during the yatra. Routes open only during the yatra season under SASB regulation.

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Where this information comes from

Confidence: High. Core facts (altitude 3,888 m, ice lingam waxing May-Aug and with the moon, Mahamaya Shakti Pith, Shravan yatra, SASB control, 141 km from Srinagar) are well documented; exact daily timings do not apply as access is seasonal and yatra dates change each year, which is a real characteristic of the shrine rather than a data gap. The mandatory-registration process (CHC requirement, advance registration via designated banks from mid-April, group/NRI procedures) and the existence of government-notified service rates were confirmed directly on the Shrine Board's own official website (jksasb.nic.in), verified live in September 2026. No fixed daily darshan clock times are published by SASB, consistent with the shrine's seasonal, weather-dependent access, so none is recorded rather than guessed.

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Frequently asked questions about Amarnath Cave Temple

What is the timing of Amarnath Cave Temple?

Published darshan hours for Amarnath Cave Temple vary; see the timings below and reconfirm with the temple before visiting. The shrine is open only during the annual Amarnath Yatra season (roughly July-August, in the month of Shravan, culminating around Raksha Bandhan/Shravan Purnima). Access and timings are controlled by the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB); registration is mandatory and helicopter operations and helipads are regulated to protect the ice lingam.

Is there an entry fee at Amarnath Cave Temple?

Yatra registration through the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) is mandatory. Every pilgrim needs a Compulsory Health Certificate (CHC) from an SASB-authorised doctor, and advance registration typically opens in mid-April (15 April for the 2026 season) through designated bank branches across India, with separate published procedures for group registrations and for NRI/overseas/foreign-national pilgrims. Pony, porter, palki and helicopter services are chargeable at government-notified rates published each season by SASB; helicopter availability is not guaranteed every year (for the 2026 yatra, the government declared the whole route a 'No Flying Zone' from 1 July 2026, suspending helicopter services that season), so devotees should confirm current helicopter status directly with SASB before planning.

What is the dress code at Amarnath Cave Temple?

Warm, weatherproof clothing and sturdy trekking shoes are essential at high altitude; pilgrims must meet SASB health and registration requirements.

Which festivals are celebrated at Amarnath Cave Temple?

The main ones documented for this temple are Amarnath Yatra. See the festival table above for dates and what each involves.

What is the best time to visit Amarnath Cave Temple?

Only during the official yatra window (roughly July-August); the shrine and routes are otherwise closed by snow.

How do I reach Amarnath Cave Temple?

The cave is in the Anantnag district, about 141 km from Srinagar. Pilgrims trek from base camps, the traditional longer route from Pahalgam (via Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtarni) and the shorter, steeper route from Baltal. Nearest airport and railhead are at Srinagar; helicopter services to Panchtarni operate during the yatra. Routes open only during the yatra season under SASB regulation.

Who is the presiding deity at Amarnath Cave Temple?

Lord Shiva, worshipped as a naturally-formed ice lingam (Shivling); the cave is also revered as the Mahamaya Shakti Peeth

What is the history of Amarnath Cave Temple?

The Amarnath cave is one of the most sacred shrines of Shiva, and the cave itself is revered as the Mahamaya Shakti Pitha, one of the 51 Shakti Pithas marking where a part of the goddess Sati is believed to have fallen.

What poojas or aartis are performed daily at Amarnath Cave Temple?

Rituals during the yatra season, administered by the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board.

How reliable is the information on this Amarnath Cave Temple page?

This listing's confidence is rated high. Core facts (altitude 3,888 m, ice lingam waxing May-Aug and with the moon, Mahamaya Shakti Pith, Shravan yatra, SASB control, 141 km from Srinagar) are well documented; exact daily timings do not apply as access is seasonal and yatra dates change each year, which is a real characteristic of the shrine rather than a data gap. The mandatory-registration process (CHC requirement, advance registration via designated banks from mid-April, group/NRI procedures) and the existence of government-notified service rates were confirmed directly on the Shrine Board's own official website (jksasb.nic.in), verified live in September 2026. No fixed daily darshan clock times are published by SASB, consistent with the shrine's seasonal, weather-dependent access, so none is recorded rather than guessed.