The sacred ice lingam, known as the symbol of Lord Shiva at the Amarnath Cave, has reportedly melted within just five days of the beginning of the annual pilgrimage this year, sparking concerns among environmental experts and devotees.

During this period, around one lakh pilgrims officially reached the holy cave, while unofficial estimates suggest that the number crossed 1.5 lakh. The rapid melting of the naturally formed ice shivlinga, which traditionally remains a major attraction of Amarnath Yatra, has once again triggered debate over crowd management, climate change, and environmental impact. Ice Lingam Was 7 Feet High on May 23

A photograph released by BSF personnel on May 23 showed the ice lingam standing at nearly 7 feet in height. Even on June 29, the day of the first puja of the pilgrimage season, the ice formation was reported to be over 5 feet tall.

However, images that surfaced on July 6 showed that nearly 90% of the ice structure had disappeared and shrunk to a height of just 1 foot.

Officials of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board have described the melting of the ice lingam as a natural phenomenon. However, environmentalists in Kashmir disagree and believe that excessive footfall and increasing human activity around the cave are contributing factors.

They argue that allowing more pilgrims than the ecological capacity of the area can handle is putting additional pressure on the fragile Himalayan environment.

Experts have raised concerns that the rising temperature inside and around the cave, combined with the presence of thousands of devotees and security personnel, may be accelerating the melting process.

Environmentalists believe that the heat generated by large crowds, including body heat and human activity, could be affecting the longevity of the ice formation. While shrine officials have acknowledged the role of climate-related factors indirectly, they maintain that the melting process is primarily natural.

Shrine Board officials have also cited global warming as a possible reason behind the early melting of the ice lingam. They reject claims that the cave is witnessing an unsustainable number of visitors.

After the 1996 Amarnath tragedy, the Nitin Sen Gupta Committee suggested limiting the number of pilgrims to around 75,000. However, such restrictions have not been implemented effectively over the years.

This year, the number of devotees visiting the cave has already crossed 1.5 lakh, according to estimates.

Environmental groups have expressed concern that the increasing number of pilgrims is not only affecting the ice lingam but also damaging the fragile ecosystem along the pilgrimage routes.

They claim that large crowds are causing environmental stress in the surrounding mountains, while the Shrine Board appears unwilling to reduce the number of visitors.

The pilgrimage is being conducted through the 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route and the shorter but challenging 14-km Baltal route. The annual Amarnath Yatra will conclude on Raksha Bandhan day, August 28.