A Himalayan folklore trek
Panpatia Col is a journey of grand ambition, and not without reason
Updated At : 07:14 AM Jun 26, 2025 IST
The camp at Panpatia icefield. Photos by the writer
Some journeys exist on maps, and then there are those that live in lore. The Panpatia Col trek is firmly the latter, born from a legend that a priest could offer prayers at both Kedarnath and Badrinath in a single day, traversing a mythical high-altitude path. But then, Lord Shiva, irked by the priest’s frequent absences, blocked the path by placing the towering Nilkantha peak in the way, bringing an end to this intrepid adventure.
