Baba Barfani Disappeared in Amarnath Yatra

July 10, 2026

~Abhishek Vij

This year too, during the holy Amarnath Yatra, the self-formed Shivalinga of Baba Barfani has melted and almost disappeared in the Amarnath cave. The same thing happened last year too, but then Baba Barfani continued to give darshan to the devotees for a few more days than this time. This year’s Amarnath Yatra started on July 3. On the fifth day itself, i.e. Tuesday, July 7, Baba Barfani melted and almost disappeared. Last year, this happened on the seventh day, whereas the year before that, it happened on the tenth day.

This means that the time interval for the disappearance of the ice lingam is decreasing every year. As environmental pollution is increasing, the impact of global warming is also increasing. Locals began arriving at the cave shrine a month before the pilgrimage. This year, the government has made many new arrangements for the Amarnath Yatra. Air services have also been restored. During this arduous journey, people reach the cave on foot and on horseback. Devotees come from all over the country, as well as from abroad, for the Amarnath Yatra. The government has constructed a tent city, in addition to hotels and homestays, to accommodate pilgrims. Even after Operation Sindoor last year, the number of pilgrims remained unchanged, and this time too, the number is increasing. So far, 400,000 pilgrims have registered. Pilgrims are being sent to the cave shrine in groups.

According to statistics, over 100,000 pilgrims visited the ever-shrinking ice lingam before Baba Barfani disappeared. Other pilgrims are also making their way to the holy cave shrine according to their beliefs and faith. July and August are the hottest months in the Pahalgam valley, where temperatures are three degrees above normal. Now, the temperature is deteriorating all over the world. Glaciers in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are also melting. Therefore, it is normal for the Shivling to disappear in the Amarnath cave. The only difference is that earlier, it used to remain continuously decreasing for about 20-25 days before the start of the pilgrimage, but due to increasing environmental pollution and global warming, Baba Barfani has been disappearing earlier in the last three years. Vehicles are now reaching the cave via Baltal.

Langars and horsemen start arriving around the cave a month before the pilgrimage because they have to set up their shelters. Such activities increase the temperature. Global temperatures are rising, accelerating the melting of the iceberg. Considerations are now underway to determine the true solution to this problem. Active campaigns should be launched at the international and national levels against environmental pollution.

To maintain enthusiasm among pilgrims, the sacred Shivalinga must remain in place for at least 10-12 days. Another consideration is that when BSF soldiers visited Baba Amarnath on May 23rd this year, it was 7 feet high and 2.50 feet wide. When the pilgrimage began on July 3rd, the iceling was 4.5 feet high, and Baba disappeared on the fifth day of the pilgrimage. Yatra organizers are considering starting this sacred pilgrimage to Baba Barfani a little earlier next year, starting on June 25th, so that devotees from both India and abroad can continue to have the privilege of seeing Baba.