The natural ice lingam at the Amarnath cave is melting rapidly due to unusually high temperatures in the Kashmir Valley. Experts attribute this to climate change and lower-than-normal snowfall during the winter season. Although the shrinking size of the Shivling has caused concern among devotees and religious organizations, authorities have stated that the annual Amarnath Yatra and darshan arrangements will not be affected. Preparations are underway on both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes to ensure a smooth pilgrimage for the millions of expected devotees. https://argusnews.in/travel-and-tourism/amarnath-yatra-2026-ice-shivling-melting-extreme-heat-wave #creator program