Amarnath, situated in a narrow gorge at the farther end of Lidder valley at a height of 3,888 m, is a major pilgrimage centre for the Hindus. The trek to Amarnath is undertaken by the devout in the month of Shravan (July-August) to see the lingam or the phallic symbol of Shiva, formed naturally of an ice-stalagmite. The lingam waxes and wanes with the moon and is flanked by two more ice-lingams, representing Parvati, Shiva’s wife, and their son, Ganesha.

Legend has it that when Shiva recounted to Parvati the secret of creation in a cave in Amarnath, a pair of mating doves eavesdropped on their conversation and, having learned the secret, are re-born again and again. They are said to have made the cave their eternal abode and many pilgrims report seeing the dove-pair.

Vaishno Devi, a holy cave shrine situated at an altitude of over 5000 feet in a beautiful recess of the Trikuta mountains forming a part of the lower Himalayas attracts a huge number of pilgrims every day of the year unless the route is blocked by snowfall.

Within the cave are ancient images of three deities, the Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati. Popular belief holds that anybody who walks up to the shrine of Vaishno Devi to ask for a boon rarely goes back disappointed. There are many who journey here year after year to pay obeisance, regardless of their faith or belief, creed or class, caste or religion, for Mata Vaishno Devi transcends all such barriers.

As the legend goes, more than 700 years ago Mata Vaishno Devi, a devotee of Lord Vishnu, had taken a vow of celibacy. Bhairon Nath, a tantric (demon-God) tried to behold her, making use of his tantric powers. On arriving at the holy cave at Darbar, she assumed the form of Maha Kali and cut-off Bhairon Nath's head which was flung up the mountain by the force of the blow and fell at the place where the Bhairon temple is now located. The boulder at the mouth of the holy cave according to the legend is the petrified torso of Bhairon Nath who was granted divine forgiveness by the benevolent Mata in his dying moments.