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The gateway from the Kullu Valley over the Pir Panjal toward Lahaul and Spiti.

Rohtang, near 3,980 m, crosses the Pir Panjal range and separates the humid Kullu Valley from the arid trans-Himalayan valleys of Lahaul and Spiti. The pass exposes the sharp rain-shadow contrast that the Himalayan barrier creates.

Notoriously weather-beaten — the name is often glossed as “pile of corpses” for travellers caught in storms — it is now bypassed for much of the year by the Atal Tunnel beneath it.

Sources

• Survey of India

A short reference note: this summary draws on third-party sources such as the Geological Survey of India and Wikipedia. In time I plan to give every geological feature its own learning-oriented write-up — with custom diagrams, graphs, and study pointers — as I’ve already done for the 11 locations that have an Instagram reel.