Bavi Lopali Mukham
The Face in the Well
Setting: Village well, Nizamabad (Nizamabad).
In English: The Face in the Well. A Lighted Tales original Telugu horror story, written in Romanized Telugu (Tenglish) with Telangana dialect.
The Face in the Well
Prakash bavi gatu daggara kaalu pettagaa, madugulo oka chapudu vacchindi. Nindu roju — middle of March, morning 6:15 AM, Nizamabad district Bodhan mandal side oka chinna ooru, peru Pedda Kistampet. Bavi ki venaka mamidi tota, mundhu vaipu family's 4-acre mirchi paata. Aakash inka konchem mabbu ga undi. Prakash chethilo oka plastic bucket, chevi daggara oka nylon rope. Mookhali vaasana, wet earth, moss — edo 50 years ga ee bavi ki chenduthu unna basic vaasanaley.
Bucket rope lo kattadam kuda complete avvaledu, aayana ki bavi lopala nunchi pilupu vacchindi — aayana own voice la, kaani slightly different.
Voice: "Prakash, ee roju mirchi paatalki neellu andukku. Kaani katta gatu meedha mutti pettaku babu."
Prakash nilichipoyaaru. Aayana 47 years age, farmer, ee bavi ni 1979 nunchi chusthu pedda ayinadu. Ee bavi aayana thaata, Rajaiah, 1958 lo tavvinchinadu. Family ki idhi pitrarjana asset — water source, boundary marker, community reference. Rothu bavi, 34 feet deep, stone-lined, iron grill cover tho. Kaani grill cover aa roju lift aipoyundi — aayana agricultural labourer, Mallesh, previous evening irrigation pump run chesi cover ni improperly pettaadu.
Prakash: "Yevaru adhi?" Prakash bavi gatu meedhaki vanagi lopaliki chudadaanuki effort chesadu. Madugu dark ga undi, morning sun inka direct kaadu, reflection vaste matrame clear ga kanipisthundi.
Reflection vacchindi — slow ga, water ripples subsiding. Prakash own mukham kanipinchindi. Kaani adhi Prakash present di kaadu. Aa reflection di age pedda — 75-77 undaali, dimensions ga. White hair, deep wrinkles, jaw line sagged, eyes konchem cloudy. Aa mukham Prakash vaipu chusthu manishi lips move chesthundi — voice aayana chevulaki vinipinchakapothey kuda, lip reading oka farmer ki chaala sulabham ayina skill. Aa lips spelling out — "mutti pettaku."
Prakash back step vesaaru. Bucket chethilo nunchi jari thatti padindi. Aayana heart beat ekkuva aindi, body meedha sweat — kaani adhi winter morning, temperature 18°C maatrame. Aa sweat heat di kaadu.
Aayana ninanti evening nunchi plan chesina work — mirchi paata irrigation — aa roju postpone chesaaru. Ooruiloki malli vacchesaaru. Ooru chowrastha lo oka chai dukanam, Narayana gaari di. Akkada kooruchuni, tea order chesi, phone teesaaru.
Prakash intlo aayana bharya, Parvathamma (43), rendu pillalu — Srikanth (19, Nizamabad city lo polytechnic student), Kavitha (16, ooru high school). Aayana tana dagger Mallesh ni call chesaadu.
Prakash: "Mallesh, nee inta raa chai shop ki."
Mallesh: "Dora, em ayindi? Pump repair avasaram a?"
Prakash: "Raa raa. Chai shop ki."
Mallesh — 38 years, Prakash ki 12 years ga labour, village lo respectful distance tho Prakash family ki attached. Aayana 10 minutes lo vacchaaru. Prakash aayanaki nilichhadaa. Voice thakkuvchesi matladaaru.
Prakash: "Mallesh, bavi lo em undi raa?"
Mallesh: Mallesh ki confusion. "Dora, neellu untayi. Em adhi?"
Prakash: "Nenu ippati paryantham bavi lo chusaanu. Naa own mukham, kaani 30 years senior. Aa mukham naa tho matladindi."
Mallesh: Mallesh silent ayyaaru. Aayana naalugu sips tea taagi, tarwatha, "Dora, mee thaata Rajaiah gaaru, 1982 lo aayana ni evaru chusinadi last?"
Prakash: "Mallesh, idhi em question? Naa thaata aayana own intlo chanipoyaaru 1982 lo. Naa naanna ki 14 years age appudu."
Mallesh: "Dora, chaala old ga, mamayya gaaru (Mallesh's uncle, village lo oka old farm worker) cheppedivaaru , Rajaiah gaaru 1982 lo aayana intlo chanipoyaledu. Bavi daggara chanipoyaaru. Family aa vishayam hide chesaaru , 'intlo natural death' ani certificate icchaaru. Kaani oor lo evaru evaru untunnaru ga aa roju, Rajaiah gaaru bavi gatu meedha cooruchuni tana own face tho matladukuntu undaru ani vinnaaru. Aayana slipping , mental ga , aa time lo undedhi antaaru. Family aa matalu intlo shame vesuko ledu kaani public lo respect kosam 'quiet death' ani."
Prakash ki confusion. Aayana own thaata gurinchi family lo kathaanu — Rajaiah gaaru 80 years age ki intlo bed meeda peaceful ga poyaaru ani. Ee Mallesh cheppe inkoka story — asalu differ ga undi.
Prakash: "Mallesh, bavi lo voice cheppindi , 'katta gatu meedha mutti pettaku.' Ippudu naaku ardham avatledu. Nenu bavi paina mirchi paata velthu daggara nadichaanu, kaani katta gatu meedha nenu yendu pettaanu?"
Mallesh: "Dora, ee viparitham ennikaanga vinnanu. Bavi ki oka warning. Mee naanna aayanaki ippatiki telusa ee story?"
Prakash naanna, Narasaiah, 78 years old, Pedda Kistampet lo same intlo unnadu. Aayana 2012 lo stroke tarwatha limited mobility. Speech slurred but cognition okay. Prakash 10 AM ki intiki velli, naanna pakkaninchi kuurchuni, aa bavi incident ni cheppaaru.
Narasaiah kallu moosukuni oka pedda breath teesi, tarwatha, slow ga —
→ Idey theme lo inka oka katha: Sitala Sunny
Narasaiah: "Prakash, aa bavi 66 years old ippudu. 1958 lo mee thaata Rajaiah gaaru aa bavi tavvinchinappudu, bavi tavvinchina labourer, peru Sayanna, aayana bavi final depth ki reach ayinappudu, oka brick chudi aagipoyaaru. Aayana tana own wife ni murder chesi ikkadey bavi lopala bhadh padavesi unnadu, construction start ki rendu rojulu mundhu. Sayanna aa time lo rage lo undi, wife oka affair gurinchi aayana ki confess chesindi ani. Sayanna aayana wife ni hand axe tho paa padesi, aa body ni bavi lo padavesi, bricks tho cover chesinadu. Rendu rojulu tarwatha mee thaata Rajaiah aa same bavi construction ki Sayanna ni pilichinadu , Sayanna aa original killing ni intlo hide cheyyaali ani pressure lo first layer bricks meedha construction continue chesaaru. Bavi complete aipoyindi aa summer ki. Sayanna oka month tarwatha disappeared. Ippatiki aayana whereabouts teliyadu."
Prakash: "Naanna, nuvvu ee story ni yenduku ippati daakaa chepparu?"
Narasaiah: "Koduka, mee thaata naaku ee katha 1979 lo aayana deathbed ki 3 years mundhu cheppaaru. Aayana intlo konchem ooyala lo uundinappudu. Aayana tana confession , 'Prakash koduku ki ippudu cheppaali antaav? Sayanna ki aa time lo naaku help ivvali ani anipinchindi, kaani Sayanna oka mara manishi. Naa bavi foundation oka chavinchinavaalu meedha built. Nenu koduku ki cheppadame nuvvu respectful ga undu aa bavi daggara. Mirchi paata irrigation chodadaaniki bavi use cheyyi, kaani katta gatu meedha nillichi lopala chudaku. Aa shavam manishi ki silent prayer ivvu prathi roju. Nijam avaratam ante aa neella meedha meekosam oka kind ga debt undi.' Naaku aa maatalu oka intense guilt la inka ungedi. Nenu aa vishayam naa pillalu ki neekada cheppaleka poyinanu. Nenu bavi ki chaala rare ga vellevaanu, 2012 lo stroke tarwatha asalu vellaledu."
Prakash silent ga cooruchunnaaru. Aayana own life lo aa bavi — swimming chinnappudu, bucket teesa, irrigation, prathi year rope replace chesadam — memories inka inka. Aa memories meeda ippudu oka shavam, unnamed woman, 1958 lo murdered, aayana bavi floor lo inka undi.
Prakash: "Naanna, ippudu em cheyyaali?"
Narasaiah: "Koduka, aa kind of wound ki proper ga oka shanti karma mukhyam. Village priest, Chennaiah gaaru, aayana tho consult cheyyaali. Bavi depths ki proper reverence ichi, oka rythmic prayer routine chesi, aa unnamed woman ki oka namam ivvaali , peru telvakapothey kuda, 'amma' ani invoke chesi, oka shanti chekatha arrange cheyyaali."
Prakash aa day 12 PM ki village priest Chennaiah gaari intikku vellaaru. Chennaiah 62 years, Pedda Kistampet temple pujari. Prakash story ni cheppaadu. Chennaiah silent ga listen chesaaru.
Chennaiah: "Prakash, ee kind of situation ki oka specific ritual undi, 'jala shuddhi + pitrya pradaana' ani kala. Bavi lo unna shavam ki peru leni chethulaki proper prayer. Nenu oka chinna puja item list cheppaanu , black sesame, white rice, oka chinna kadam sawed-off branch, oka peethambaram cloth, oka silver coin. Rendu rojulu lopala arrange cheyyandi. Nenu morning 5:30 AM ki vasthaanu, bavi gatu daggara. Ritual 2 hours patteystundi."
Prakash: "Chennaiah gaaru, ee ritual tarwatha aa face inka kanipinchadha?"
Chennaiah: "Prakash, aa face, mee own face aa age lo , adhi oka warning ga mee family ki vacchindi. Idhi dayyamu kaadu, idhi oka attached aatma. Aayana your family ki reminder ivvaalani chepthundi , mee thaata time lo oka injustice aipoyindi, bavi foundation lo. Aa injustice ippudu mee generation ki kuda , through the water itself, mee family body lo ki enters , impact chesthundi. Proper karma chesthey, aayana aatma release avuthundi. Your own face senior ga appear ayindi ante , mee future ni kuda warning ga chupistundi. Nijam ga, if action takenn kaakapothey, mee own life 30 years tarwatha, 75-77 age lo, same type of untold-story-burden tho close avvaalani oka pattern setup."
March 7, 2023. Morning 5:30 AM. Chennaiah gaaru bavi gatu daggara. Prakash, Parvathamma, Narasaiah (wheelchair lo), oka 15 mandhi village elders — witnesses ga attend. Chennaiah ritual start chesaaru. Mantras oka 90 minutes. Bavi gatu antha black sesame, white rice scattered. Peethambaram cloth folded & lowered into the bavi with a silver coin wrapped inside. Final blessing — "Ee jalam lo unna nirvaama atma ki namam icchi, prapancham ki peaceful ga vidipothundi."
Ritual end ki Chennaiah bavi gatu meedha nilichi lopaliki chusaaru. Prakash kuda ori vaipu paaki chusaaru. Reflection normal — present Prakash's face, 47 years, black hair, his own jawline. Aa senior version disappear ayindi. Chennaiah chethilo oka small handful of flower petals teesukuni bavi lo vesaaru. "Amma, mee proper velthu jarigindi ippudu. Ee family ki meeda burden levu."
Aa tarwatha aa bavi gurinchi Prakash family oka pratijna chesaaru. Prathi amavasya ki Prakash oka chinna diya lighten chestaaru, bavi gatu meedha pettaaru, 2 minutes silent ga nilichhi. Irrigation normal ga continue. Mirchi paata aa year record yield ichhindi.
Narasaiah 2024 summer ki chanipoyaaru. Aayana last words Prakash ki — "Koduka, bavi ki gaurava chupisthu undu. Aa jalam lo mana family future kuda unndi." Prakash ippudu intlo oka framed photo paina, aayana thaata Rajaiah and naanna Narasaiah rendu photos. Bavi ki venaka, aa peethambaram cloth shred ni oka dhawani ga boundary marker chesi paata kanta lo fix chesaaru, proper memorial ga.
Srikanth — Prakash koduku — polytechnic complete aipoyinada Nizamabad city lo job search. Kavitha intermediate complete aipoyaka Hyderabad lo chaithanya junior college ki moved. Family moves on. Kaani prathi amavasya ki ooru lo unnappudu, Prakash bavi gatu meedha diya pettaaru. Aa Nizamabad district Bodhan side chinna-chinna villages lo ilaanti old-wound bavulu chaala untayi. Proper ga address chesina family lo water continue ga good ga undi.
Author's note
Nenu 2024 summer ki oka weekend ki Nizamabad district side oka cousin marriage ki velli vacchesina. Bodhan mandal, Yemdhara village side, oka old family well undi — 60+ years old, stone-lined. Aa family lo oka old maternal uncle naaku cheppaaru — "Ee bavi lo 1960 lo oka labourer aayana bharya ni hide chesaaru ani ooru lo chinna kathaa undi. Family aa matalu prathi generation ki pass chesthu untayi , kaani ippatiki proper ga investigate cheyyaledu." Aa statement naaku oka reminder — mana mana villages lo water sources — bavulu, cheruvu, kunta — chaala lo unseen burdens carry chesthayi. Proper ga honor chesthey, vaatilo unna prachina katha peace ga release avuthundi. Nizamabad water bodies Karimnagar Manair-region ki compare chesthey, different geology, different soil. Kaani human stories same ga kaavaali. Mee family lo ilaanti oka old water source undha? Aa daggara comics undha, ilanti cheppaleni oka katha? Comments lo share cheyyandi. Naaku aa regional variants document cheyyaalani. Sanjana ki kuda chaala interest ee topic meeda — maa neighbourhood lo oka old colony bavi undi, aayana prathi week bike meedha oka saari pathi chudadaaniki paristhiti yerpaduchundhi.
→ Pakkana ee story kuda chadavandi: Manair Raathri
— Sai Kiran · Lighted Tales
© 2026 Sai Kiran Pandrala / Lighted Tales · https://teluguhorrorstories.blogspot.com
Real-world context: Wikipedia — Telangana
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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