Mukhamulo Abbai
The Son's Face
Setting: Village near Kamareddy (Hyderabad / Telangana).
In English: The Son's Face. A Lighted Tales original Telugu horror story, written in Romanized Telugu (Tenglish) with Telangana dialect.
The Son's Face
2024 December Bhoumya Saptami roju — Telangana lo prathi roju cremations happening ga unna pattern lo, ee katha's trigger event — Kamareddy district Bibipet mandal lo oka small village, Thangeda, lo oka 67-year-old widow's 40-day ceremony jarigindi. Aa widow — Ramanamma — last 40 days before jarigina cremations andhariki oka specific claim tho insist chesevaaru — prati manishi chita meeda, oka chinna moment, her dead son Raghu's mukham kanipisthundi ani. Villagers ki kathalu la vinpisthundi, kaani evvaru verify cheyyaledu — "amma grief tho alochinchi thana kallaki alaa kanipisthundi" ani dismiss chesevaaru. 40th day ki Ramanamma herself chanipoyaaru — aa ceremony oka final stakes-raising moment ayindi aayana daughter-in-law Soumya ki.
Soumya decide chesindi — Ramanamma ni cremate chesina tarwatha, oka parallel cremation aa week lo village lo undinappudu, aayana claim ni test cheyyali. Overnight, close ga, observe. Nijam or hallucination ani tell cheyyali.
Ramanamma life story ikkada relevance undi. Aayana 1956 lo pelli, husband Raghavendra Rao — Thangeda village karanam ga 1970 nunchi 1998 varaku service. Aayana rendu kuduku — Raghu (elder) and Balaram (younger). Raghu 1985 lo Hyderabad ki ITI training kosam velli, oka construction lo pani start chesadu. Balaram village lo unnaadu, small farming.
1988 March. Raghu 21 years age. Hyderabad lo oka construction accident — beam padi chanipoyaadu. Body Thangeda ki vachhindi. Cremation village smashanam lo — Raghavendra Rao, Ramanamma, Balaram, village mandhi. Ramanamma aa roju oka specific thing chesindi — chita light ayyaka, aa flames lo Raghu mukham ni oka 30 seconds pattern chusadu. Aayana "naa koduku mukham inka inka kanipisthundi" ani cheppadam modalettindi oka 5 minutes tarwatha. Evaru listen ivvaledu. Grief manner ani assume.
Raghavendra Rao 1998 lo chanipoyaaru. Balaram 2002 lo Soumya tho pelli. 2005 lo oka son — Rakesh. Ippudu Rakesh 19 years old, Hyderabad lo engineering student. Balaram, Soumya (40), Ramanamma (80s ippudu) — Thangeda lo same house lo.
2015 lo Balaram ki paralysis — stroke. Intlo bed-bound. Soumya primary caregiver. Ramanamma aayana koduku grief tho tho antha time matrame silent ga undedhu — Raghu gurinchi repetitive ga talk chesedi Soumya ki. 2015-2024, 9 years, Ramanamma prathi village cremation ki attend chesevaaru (aayana mobility allowed varaku) — chita daggara standing, flames meedha stare chesi, return home cheppenvaaru — "ee roju kuda Raghu mukham kanipinchindhi Soumya. Naa koduku andukante complete ga vellavaledhu. Aayana inkaa ikkada undi."
Soumya aa claim ki rendu decades ga shocks, dismiss, sympathetic listen — various phases cross chesindhi. 2024 lo Ramanamma aarogyam pedda decline. Congestive heart failure. Balaram already bed-bound. Soumya solitary caregiver rendu vaallaki.
2024 October 20. Ramanamma chanipoyaaru. Chita Thangeda smashanam — village priest Bhagavatulu perform chesaaru. Balaram wheelchair lo aakkada undi. Soumya, Rakesh (Hyderabad nunchi special leave), village 200 mandhi. Cremation complete. Ramanamma's peculiar claim ippudu dormant ga undi.
13-day ceremony ayyaaka, 40-day ceremony planned for December 1.
November 23. Village lo inkoka cremation — Yellaiah, 58, oka heart attack. Village ripples chinna ga. Aa night Soumya Rakesh ki call chesindi — "nuvvu raavalna 40-day ki. Nenu oka decision tisukunna. Yellaiah cremation ki nenu velli chita daggara observe chestaa — amma claim nijam a, verify chesthaanu."
Rakesh: "Amma, nuvvu saemedi em chesthaav? 40 years amma claim. Whiskey ga observe cheyyali aa roju evening lo em ayipoyina, adhi saripodu mom."
Soumya: "Rakesh, nenu overnight vundi observe chesthaanu. Chita niprulu paripoorn ga aagi poyina varaku. Nenu proper careful ga, chodavatu pedi cheyyadaaniki kaani, aa specific claim, 'okka chinna moment mukham kanipisthundi', adhi physical ga verify cheyyadaaniki."
Rakesh: "Amma, nuvvu full rathri smashanam lo okkadi? Idhi risk. Nenu nerumtu raa velli daggara unta?"
Soumya: "Nuvvu exam ayinappudey ra. Naa sakalam idhi. Amma ki nenu rendu decades answer lekapoyina. Ippudu amma levaka poyaaru, naa sakalaminchi aayana ki ishtam."
November 26 evening, Yellaiah cremation, Thangeda smashanam. Regular. Chita lit 4 PM. Family return ayyaka 7 PM. Bhagavatulu priest ki Soumya cheppindi, "Nenu aa rathri ikkada undali. Aa chita niprulu poorti aagi poyina waraku. Naa amma kosam oka sankalpam."
Bhagavatulu: "Soumya, ee smashanam lo oka adi okkadi undadam safe kaadu, rathri cheekati, jeevajanthuvulu, temperature drop. Nenu okka adithe family priest ga undali. Nenu kuda night antha undalenu, naaku intlo bharya ki ardraka undi. Morning 6 AM ki raasthaanu."
Soumya: "Fine Bhagavatulu gaaru. Nenu okka okkadu undi antiga pani vundi. Naa tho oka torch, one cheater, oka blanket, naaku emaina ardha rathriki support avasaram vaste phone call chesthaanu."
Bhagavatulu Soumya ki smashanam gate lock ivvaledu, kaani keys aayana dagger ippaay chesaaru. Soumya 7 PM nunchi chita nunchi 20 feet dooram lo oka boulder meedha kuurchuni undinadu. Chita pedda flames lo mandutondi. Wood crackling sound, Yellaiah deham center lo burning. Soumya torchlight off, moonlight matramey, full moon kaadu, waning crescent, konchem kaadu.
8 PM. Chita intense phase. Soumya chaala close ga observe. Flames specific patterns — patterns avoid cheyyali, ae ante moving illusions create avuthaayi. Soumya methodically watch — each 5-minute pay attention at specific hand-formed grid sections of the chita.
9 PM. Chita konchem koncha ga taggi. Peak intensity aipoyindi.
→ Idey theme lo inka oka katha: Aakari Samskaramu
9:30 PM. Soumya phone light-up — Rakesh. "Amma em ayindi ippati daaka?"
Soumya: "Rakesh, nothing specific. Chita normal ga mandutondi. Flames, nothing unusual. Continue chestha."
10 PM. Chita subsiding. Flames less. Body form konchem visible ayi burn aipothundi.
10:23 PM. Soumya ki oka slight breeze — smashanam corner nunchi. Chita flames ki oka specific dance. 3 seconds matrame. Aa 3 seconds lo — Yellaiah face ki paina oka different form ni Soumya chusaadu. Yellaiah di kaadu — oka young man, early 20s, oval face, thick eyebrows, closed eyes. 3 seconds tarwatha disappear — Yellaiah's actual burning face visible.
Soumya phone light-up chesi Yellaiah's face digital snapshot tisukunnadu asalu — kaani aa specific moment lo chita flames reached specific heat, body starts intense combustion. Aa form — Soumya maasuu lo recorded chesinadi but camera ivvaledu.
Aa face — Soumya ki vaati dey. Thangeda village lo Ramanamma's intlo oka black-and-white framed photo undi Raghu di. Soumya aa face ni ippati daaka 22 years chusaanu. Ippudu chita lo 3 seconds — oke same face.
Soumya oka loud breath tisukundi. Hand shake ayyaati. Torch stabilize chesi focus hold chesinadi. Aa tarwatha — flames normal. No reappearance.
10:45 PM. Oka second moment — same breeze, different 2 seconds. Same Raghu face, visible. Then gone.
11:10 PM. Third moment. Same. 2 seconds. Raghu.
Soumya ki arthamaindi. Ramanamma rendu decades ga chusthundhina claim — nijam. Prathi chita pai Raghu mukham, a few seconds ganam, appear avutondi. Reason — Ramanamma ki chepee ki inkoka manishi kosam reason undali. Aayana grief aayana heart lo ink ayinadi — and that grief ni aayana aa 36 years lo release ivvaledu. Raghu meeda anger, grief, confusion — anni accumulated.
Soumya kaallu slowly steady ga ayinayi. Aayana ippudu second question — yenduku Raghu ippudu prathi chita pai appear avutunnaadu? Aayana intentionality em unnadi?
12 AM ki Bhagavatulu's house. Soumya phone chesadu — "Bhagavatulu gaaru, naaku proper ga ardhamayinavi. Mee dwara oka consultation avasaram ippudu."
Bhagavatulu vacchaaru smashanam daggaraki pankaha pai, morning 6 AM kaadu, specially 12:30 ki aayana tana bike meeda. Soumya observations share chesinadi.
Bhagavatulu: "Soumya, Raghu 1988 lo chanipoyinappudu, full rites complete ayina?"
Soumya: "Haa, aa time lo Raghu chanipoyina vishayam Ramanamma ki chala ganga ga undi kabatti proper cremation avali aa time lo. Naaku appudu family lo lenu, marriage 2002 lo. Kaani family cheppinattu, Ramanamma aa cremation lo oka specific thing, Raghu chetila lo oka wooden bangle icchindi. Aa bangle Raghu 12 years age lo amma ki gift ga icchadu, oka birthday roju. Amma aa bangle prathi roju chethi meeda pettukuntundi. Aa cremation ki amma aa bangle chetilo theesi Raghu chita lo vesindhi, 'Raghu, idhi nenu neeku return chestha' ani. Aa matalu Raghavendra Rao ki teliyadu, aayana aa time lo chita ki mundhu nunchey moat ki vellipoyaaru shock tho."
Bhagavatulu: "Soumya, bangle return cheyyadam, amma ki aa gift ni release cheyyadamani, oka kind of forgiveness ritual. Kaani Ramanamma aa gift ni return cheyyadam tho paatu oka deep attachment ni tanu ivvaledu, aayana manasulo, aa bangle Raghu tho kamma velthundhe, kaani Raghu 'naa kosam ithanadu' ane feeling inko deep ga lopaina. Aayana aa lo 'yenduku ee young age lo nenu poyav' ane pain, forgive cheyyaleni, aa pain present ayindi."
"Ippudu Raghu ki problem — amma last dying wish or deep prayer ante yevaraina. Aa mantra: 'naa koduku mukham prathi chita pai kanipinchali, prapancham ki reminder — amma tho oka son premiere way ga vellali ani.' Adhi Raghu ki responsibility la attached ayindi. Aayana prathi cremation chita ki few seconds hover avuthunnadu — amma kosam."
Soumya: "Ippudu amma ippudu poyindi. Aayana presence ki aa requirement okadi untunda?"
Bhagavatulu: "Soumya, amma ippudu lokaaniki vellaaru, Raghu kuda ippudu release ayyalanu. Kaani pain cycle ni close cheyyadam family responsibility. Amma 36 years forgive cheyyaleka poyinaadi, tanaki, Raghu ki, Raghavendra ki. Aa forgiveness ippudu aayana behalf lo manam complete cheyyali."
December 1, Ramanamma's 40-day ceremony. Soumya, Balaram (wheelchair lo), Rakesh, Bhagavatulu, aa village 50 mandhi, Thangeda smashanam lo collected. Usual prayers ayyaaka, Bhagavatulu oka special rite add chesaaru. "Amma Ramanamma kosam, aayana koduku Raghu kosam, rendu manushulaki oka forgiveness mantra."
Soumya aa ceremony lo oka specific thing brought, Ramanamma dagger last 36 years ga undi oka duplicate wooden bangle Raghu di, Ramanamma aayana peru meeda carved chesukoni keep chesinde (replica, the original having burned in 1988). Aa bangle ni Soumya Bhagavatulu ki icchindi, "Ramanamma ki mukhya ga attached. Ippudu aayana lokaniki ivvaali."
Bhagavatulu aa bangle ni Ramanamma's ash pot tho paatu small fire lo burn chesaaru. Mantras — forgiveness kosam.
→ Pakkana ee story kuda chadavandi: Sitala Sunny
Ceremony complete. Family velli pothaaru.
Aa 40th day night — December 1 — Thangeda lo oka cremation kaadu. Aa tarwatha December 4 ki oka cremation — oka elderly man. Bhagavatulu priest. Cremation regular. Aa cremation tarwatha Bhagavatulu Soumya ki message pampaaru — "Aa chita pai Raghu's face ippudu kaanipinchaledu. Aa moment lo normal flames — usual visual."
Soumya relief ga exhaled. Bed meeda padukuni phone close chesindi.
Raghu ippudu release ayyaru — Ramanamma ki, Raghu tanaki, Raghavendra kuda. Forgiveness finally complete. 36 years 1988 nunchi 2024 waraku.
Aa tarwatha prathi cremation thangeda lo — Raghu face visible kaadu. Chita normal.
Ramanamma ippudu peace. Raghu ippudu peace. Soumya aa 40th day ki oka burden release ayyindi aayana ki — she had done what her mother-in-law couldn't. Aayana rendu decades silent listened, ippudu oka concrete step tho honor chesinadi.
Real-world context: Wikipedia — Telangana
Rakesh Hyderabad ki return ayyaaru. Engineering exams continue. Balaram wheelchair lo untu slowly konchem konchem speech come back ayyaati — stroke 9 years tarwatha chinna improvements. Soumya ippudu amma role ni full ga inherit — village's informal elder, prathi cremation ki attend cheyyadam, families kosam observation, reassurances.
Thangeda smashanam ippudu peaceful. Prathi chita pai okka face matramey visible — aa cremation specific manishi di. Aa tarwatha flames normal. Ash normal. Lokham ki proper velthundhi.
Ramanamma's photo framed intlo oka small wooden bangle replica pakkana untundi — Soumya aa piece ni chinna carving commissioned chesindi 2025 lo memorial ga. Prathi morning oka chinna diya. Prathi forgiveness oka daily practice.
Author's note
Kamareddy district side 2024 December ki nenu oka short work-trip lo velli vaccherappudu, Bibipet mandal nunchi Thangeda-like village oka chinna temple lo oka aged priest tho matladutu, aayana cheppaaru — "ikkada oka widow undedi, husband's cremation tarwatha 36 years ga prathi cremation pai her dead son's face kanipisthundi ani insist chesevaaru. Andaru dismiss chesevaaru, recently aayana poyaaraani 40-day tarwatha aayana daughter-in-law test chesindi — and she had her reasons ani believe, and took ritual steps." Aayana chaala detailed ga cheppaleka poyaaru but the core structure chaala stuck naa manasulo. Ippudu ee story ga (aa village, priest, family names fully fictional) raasaanu. Principle — 36 years forgive cheyyaleni grief oka cascading effect ni innocent son meeda kuda pettindi. Mana elders mana beyond-life relationships ki oka specific weight kuda carry chestharu — vaalla emotion ki immediate family matra kaadu, children who cross over kuda pay chesthaaru. Forgiveness oka generational work. Maa Karimnagar lo naaku ilanti oka widow gurinchi chinnappudu telisindi — chaala years waiting chesi finally husband's name ni forgive chesindi, and felt release. Aa story ni naanna cheppevaru prathi pitrupaksham ki. Ee katha raasinappudu aayana memory vacchindi. Mee intlo ilaanti release-rituals gurinchi konadi comments lo share chesondi — mana culture aleta extremely layered.
— Sai Kiran · Lighted Tales
© 2026 Sai Kiran Pandrala / Lighted Tales · https://teluguhorrorstories.blogspot.com
Original Telugu horror fiction. Folk-source material where referenced is public domain.
Modern characters, apartments, companies, and phone numbers are fictional.
Any resemblance to real persons, businesses, or events is coincidental.
Audio version: youtube.com/@Lightedtales
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