(By Rajendra Tripathi). 

Bhadra Kali is near Handwara, Kashmir - about 2 km from Ind-Pak border. It was supposed to be revered by both Hindus and Muslims of the valley. Its just a nice place - no complication, no controversey.

I had been there before and knew the pandit type ji through one Col Raina - of 7th Sikh Li - the battallion that guarded the Kupwara border duting 1971.

I knew there there were cowboy type shacks there and we could really 'unwind'. Thanks to Bhattywala's bike, we got delayed and it was about getting dark when we reached Handwara and knocked on Panditji's door - to tell him that we were headed towards his temple.

Panditji turned out to generous beyond our expectations and 'forced' us to spend the night in his home - and visit the temple the next day, as the road was not in a good condition. He must have had a change of heart when he saw us sitting besides the stream and sipping gin / beer, when he visited us the next day afternoon. We spent the night there in the shack ??

 Panditji had migrated to Jammu along with his family in the 90's and I do not have his present contacts. It is hard to find such people in todays world, who would invite 6 unknown guys to spend the night in their humble adobe.

Getting back to the college was a piece of cake - compared with the amount of cleaning and servicing that we had to do in order to return the 2-wheelers in a presentable state.