Massive Hindu Pilgrimage Melting Sacred Glacier
Hundreds of thousands of participants in the Amarnath Yatra in Kashmir are impacting a fragile Himalaya environment, scientists say.
Hindu holy man Swami Rama Krishna's bright orange robes stand out like a flame against the throngs of Hindu pilgrims who've come from across the globe to go on the Amarnath Yatra. Undeniable anticipation registers on Swami Krishna's otherwise tranquil face.
(Related: "Goddess Glacier Melting in War-Torn Kashmir")
Now in the third and final day of his 30-mile journey, he will soon see what Hindus consider to be one of the most holy places on Earth. The pilgrims believe that over 5,000 years ago Lord Shiva, one of the religion's most revered deities, revealed the secret of immortality and creation of the universe in an enormous cave high up in these snowcapped peaks. The ultimate goal of their journey is to go inside the sacred cave
