Report: Buta Malik's descendants still believe in Baba Amarnath

Situated at 3,888 metres above the sea-level, the cave shrine houses an ice stalagmite structure that waxes and wanes with the phases of the moon.

Devotees believe the ice stalagmite structure symbolises mythical powers of Lord Shiva.

After public demands, the curbs on the movement of civilian traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway have been brought down to two hours daily. Till early 1980s, the Amarnath Yatra has mostly remained confined to Kashmiri Pandits and Sadhus.

The cave shrine was discovered by a Muslim shepherd -- Buta Malik -- in 1850.