SRINAGAR, India, August 4 (IPS) – Every summer, before dawn breaks over the Himalayas, Bashir Ahmad leads his horses onto the narrow mountain trail that winds toward the Amarnath cave shrine. For decades, the annual Hindu pilgrimage has been the most important season of the year for his family. The money earned over two months pays for food, school fees, winter supplies, and the upkeep of his animals through the long snowbound months.
Climate Change Makes Sacred Ice Vanish in Kashmir, Locals Fear Loss of Livelihoods
