National Post

Hindu pilgrims hike over glaciers and mountain passes to visit the shrine in the Himalayas
Every year Hindu devotees brave sub-zero temperatures, hiking over glaciers and high altitude mountain passes to reach the sacred Amarnath cave, which houses an ice stalagmite, a stylized phallus, worshiped by Hindus as a symbol of the god Shiva.

Located in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, at 3,888 m (12,756 ft) above sea level, Amarnath cave is considered to be one of the holiest shrines in Hinduism. The cave is surrounded by snowy mountains and covered with snow most time of the year, except for a short period of time in summer when it is open for pilgrims.