A prime tourist attraction of the district of Poonch in the state of Jammu and Kashmir is the ancient and holy temple of Buddha Amarnath. The temple is dedicated to the Lord Shiva who is an integral part of the holy trinity in Hindu mythology. The unique temple is situated on the foothills of the mountains in the Rajpura Mandi region.
The sacred temple of Lord Shiva is situated on the left bank of the rivulet Pulasta. According to the popular folklore of the region, the stream derives its name from the sage Pulsata who mediated near the stream. The sage was also the grandfather of the demon King, Ravana who features in the epic Ramayana. The stream flows through the region of Rajpura Mandi that is two kilometers away from the village called Mandi. The temple is situated in the region that is 20 kilometers away from the town of Poonch. Tourists may reach the temple in buses and jeeps that traverse the region regular. The district is also well connected to the city of Jammu that is located at a distance of 225 kilometers from the district of Poonch.
The people of the state popularly visit the Buddha Amarnath on Rakhi Purnima or the full moon night in the month of August. The white Shivling of the temple is older than the Amarnath of Jammu and Kashmir. Another characteristic feature of the shivling is that it has not evolved by itself. The temple makes an important part of the Jammu and Kashmir pilgrim tourism.