Eminent Kashmiri Pandit historian and scholar,  Prof ML Koul in his book “The Amarnath pilgrimage- History and Facts’’ categorically  states that, “ it is a mere myth, a fib, lie and fabrication that the holy cave of Swami  Amarnath Ji  was discovered by a Kashmiri Muslim Malik family in 1845 A.D.

    In his book, released in Jammu in 2009, Prof Koul notes in one of the chapters that “Maliks of Batakoot are those who proved stubborn beyond limits and failed to reconcile to the Mughal conquest of Kashmir and to avoid annihilation, hid themselves at a distant place in the mountainous region away from the gaze of the Mughal soldiers”.

   The Book mentions that, “as Maliks lost their ancestral occupation and had become rudderless and vagrant, the Dogra rulers, in view of their history, harnessed their services as guides to the pilgrims’ en-route to the Holy Cave of Amarnath”.

   The eminent author states that Maliks were assigned the additional jobs of maintenance of the rough track, rising of small sheds on the routes and physical safety of the pilgrims. In lieu of their services they were paid a sufficient part of the offerings that the devotees offered to the icy lingam in the holy cave.
 

 Indian Express in its August 5, 2009 issue of the paper   had carried a detailed story on Prof Koul’s book release function. Kashmir Rechords, from its archives, is reproducing a newspaper cutting for the benefit of the esteemed readers.

Swami Amarnath Yatra, which culminates every year on Raksha Bandhan which coincides on Shravan Purnima.