Whispers of the past
The legend regarding the rediscovery of the temple and Shiva Lingam being found by a Muslim shepherd named Budha Malik is a tale recited by most locals. Budha Malik stumbled upon the temple while taking his cattle for grazing and recognised the ice formation as Shiva Lingam. This is one of the legends regarding the name of the temple Budha Amarnath.
It is believed that Lord Shiva started his narration of Amar Katha to Goddess Parvati at this site and completed his narration at the Amarnath Caves. Thus, leading this temple to be a vital pilgrimage for devotees visiting the Amarnath Cave Temple. It is believed that one must either visit this temple before starting the journey to Amarnath Cave Temple or after visiting the cave temple. It is said that the pilgrim is incomplete without visiting Baba Budha Amarnath Temple.
Maharishi Pulastya, grandfather of King Ravana of Sri Lanka, meditated at this place. Upon the blessed vision of Lord Shiva, he constructed the temple. It is believed that some idols and the lingam could have been erected by him.
The local legend states that King Pandu, father of the Pandavas from Mahabharat, had visited this temple and worshipped Lord Shiva.
Chandrika the Queen of Loran, an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, would annually visit the Amarnath Cave Temple. However, due to the ongoing wars in the region, she could not go to the temple. Saddened, Chandrika gave up food and water and kept on praying to the lord. Thus, her health started deteriorating. It is said that the lord appeared before her in the form of an old sage. He mentioned that Shiva has accepted her prayers and would like her to visit a place below the Loran Mountains. The queen was led by the sage to the place and a temple was built. This is another legend regarding the name of the temple.
Entering the premises of the temple you will see sculptures with the Sharda script carved on them. Near the gates is the Gauri Kund which is believed to be filled with water straight from the Amarnath cave. Entering the temple structure, you are directed to a cave where the Shiva Lingam is situated. Unlike the Amarnath cave temple where the Shiv Lingam is made up of ice, in this temple it is made of white rock called Chakmak.
Surrender to nature's embrace at Nandichool
Enjoy the stunning beauty of Nandichool. The water source for this waterfall is from Pir Panchal. The word Nandichool is a combination of two words ‘Nandi’ meaning happy in Sanskrit and ‘Chool’ meaning waterfall in Pahadi dialect.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity for trekking, hiking, camping, and nature walks. Explore the terrain and experience the warm hospitality of the locals.