Like every year, they have been plagued by a problem. No, it's not the terrorist attacks. Some 1,900 additional Central Reserve Police Force and police personnel would be deployed as part of multi-tier security for the Yatra. Neither is it landslides or excessive snowfalls that is bothering devotees. It is the size of the Lingam.

The naturally formed icelingam at the holy cave shrine has shrunk to one-tenth of its size after a rapid melt-down and may disappear in a few days if the mercury continues to rise, a top shrine official said on Wednesday.

"It (the icelingam) has shrunk to one-tenth of the size and may last just several days if mercury continues to shoot up," Director of the holy cave N K Raina told visiting media persons in Amarnath.