Cheruvu Ammayi
The Pond Girl
Setting: Kaloji village pond (Hyderabad / Telangana).
In English: The Pond Girl. A Lighted Tales original Telugu horror story, written in Romanized Telugu (Tenglish) with Telangana dialect.
The Pond Girl
Kaloji village primary school gate kinda, 2022 November 18, evening 5:30 PM, oka missing-child poster tape tho stuck ga undi. Poster meedha photo — oka 8-year-old girl, peru Kavitha, class 3, Kaloji village resident. Last seen 2022 November 15, morning 7:45 AM, velli village pond side lo. Parents — Saraiah (farmer) and Radha (daily labourer). Family ki pilla 3 days nunchi kanipinchaledu. Police FIR filed. Villagers search operations conducted. Aa pond — 2.5 acres, maximum depth 14 feet — rendu rojulu pump out chesaaru. Body ledu. Pilla ki em ayindhi ani no answer. Poster paina contact — Kaloji village sarpanch phone number, +91 98XXXX7723 (fictional).
Ee katha aa 2022 Kavitha case nunchi reverse ga start avuthundi. Asalu em jarigindhi? Aa answer reach avvaalante, 35 years reverse velli 1987 vaipu chudaali.
2022 November 14 evening — Kavitha case's day before. Kaloji village lo oka new teacher — Priyanka, age 26, Bhoopalpally nunchi transfer ayi Kaloji primary school ki posted. First month, adjusting. Priyanka aa day staff room lo head assistant Jyothi tho matladutu undi.
Priyanka: "Jyothi akka, naa class 3 lo oka question vacchindi ippudu. Oka student Kavitha, aayana ki yeme velangi kavithalu raavadam konchem unusual. Velli pond side lo aayana ki oka 'friend' kanipinchindi antaru aayana pillalu tho. Aa friend peru cheppadam ledu, kaani 90s style school uniform lo undi ani cheppaaru. Asalu aa pond daggara em untundhi?"
Jyothi: "Priyanka, ninchi cheppaali nuvvu kotha. Ee village lo oka 1987 incident undi , aa pond lo oka 8-year-old girl drowned. Peru Saraswathi. Aayana aa pond daggara water fetching ki velli, slip avvagaani drownu aindi. Body recovered. Cremation village smashanam. Aa tarwatha nunchi prathi few years, villagers ki , mainly pillaluku , oka young girl 90s uniform lo kanipisthundi aa pond side lo. Evaru threat kaadu , aayana sometimes pillalu tho adukuntundi, sometimes silent ga nilabaditundi. Kaani oka pattern undi , aayana chupinchinappudu, konchem rojula lo aa aa area lo oka tragic event jaruguthundi. Villagers aa intuition ki 'Saraswathi's warning' ani antaaru."
Priyanka: "Akka, ippudu aa friend ni oka chinna Kavitha chusindi ante aa meaning em?"
Jyothi: "Priyanka, idhi cheppaali , Kavitha family lo oka specific history undi. Aa pilla tatha, Saraiah father, peru Narayana , 1987 lo Saraswathi's cousin. Aa drowning day roju Narayana aa pond daggara undhe , 15 years age appudu. Aayana witness ayyaadu. Aayana tarwatha aa incident gurinchi eppudu matladaledu , konchem guilt tho antaanu. Village rumours prakaaram, Saraswathi slip ayinappudu, Narayana konchem distance lo chusaadu , help cheyyadaaniki try chesaadu kaani slow ga reach, by the time he reached, Saraswathi ooshwasam levu. Aa guilt aayana motham life lo carry chesadu. 2015 lo chanipoyaaru stroke. Ippudu Kavitha, aayana granddaughter , Saraswathi's visit ki logical next-target."
Priyanka: "Akka, ippudu em cheyyaali? Parents ki warn cheyyaali?"
Jyothi: "Priyanka, parents tho matladali , kaani carefully. Saraiah gaaru aa old story gurinchi sensitive. Direct ga 'mee daddy 1987 incident kosam responsible antaru' ani cheppaledu. Indirect ga, 'Kavitha ki pond vaipu distance vundaali' ani maatrame."
November 14 evening, Priyanka and Jyothi Saraiah intiki vellaaru. Oka sadharana school-parent meeting ga frame chesaaru.
Saraiah: "Teacher gaaru, aradha welcome. Em vishayam?"
Priyanka: "Saraiah gaaru, Kavitha class lo brilliant pilla. Oka small concern , aa pond side ki aayana solo ga velli vaccheduru ani pilla friends cheppaaru. Safety ki monitoring undi."
Saraiah: Saraiah silent ayyaaru. Oka 20 seconds breath hold, tarwatha — "Teacher gaaru, naaku ardham ayindi. Maa naanna 1987 lo aa pond daggara oka incident witness chesaaru. Aayana aa incident ni life antha carry chesaaru. Ippudu nenu Kavitha ki 'pond daggara vellaku' ani chepisthunna. Kaani pilla curious. Ee weekend ki strict ga ivvatanu, evaru oor ki velli teesukelli kaadu vi."
Priyanka relieved. Conversation polite ga close. Rendu mandhi vellipoyaaru.
Kaani aa November 15 morning 7:45 AM ki, Kavitha intlo ey warning tho kuda velli pond ki chidukuni vellindhi. Parents velli pond daggara chudaaru, pilla ledu. Sky overcast. Village panic.
Rendu rojulu search. Diving teams Rajanna Fisheries Cooperative nunchi (neighboring district, earlier partner for safety equipment). Pond drained. Bottom silt scraped. No body.
November 17 ki search team gave up. Family devastated. Priyanka attend chesindi Kavitha family ki meeting, guilty feel chesindi — "nenu specific ga naati 'aa pond dangerous' ani Saraiah gaariki warn chesaanu. Em help ayyindi?"
November 18 evening Priyanka pond daggara velli oka silent prayer ivvadaaniki velli — teacher's guilt. Pond daggara nilabadi, water surface chusthunnappudu, aayana ki oka silhouette kanipinchindhi — oka girl, 8-10 years, 90s style uniform, pond's opposite bank meedha nilabadi. Aa girl slow ga Priyanka vaipu chusi, oka arm upward raise chesindi — as if waving, or signaling.
Priyanka aa vaipu velli try chesaaru, kaani pond circumference around nadavadaaniki 15 minutes patti ayinadu, aa girl direction lo vellinappudu aa spot lo ledu. Kaani ippudu Priyanka ki oka realization — aa silhouette 90s uniform — ante aa Saraswathi? Or aa Saraswathi friend of Kavitha, teacher can't visualise? Ippudu aa silhouette Kavitha ga undi? Or rendu peru combined?
→ Idey theme lo inka oka katha: Manair Raathri
Priyanka aa rathri Jyothi ki call chesindi. Rendu mandhi discussion pond side lo next morning ki arrange chesaaru. 1987 gurinchi inkaa detail kaavaali.
November 19 morning 6 AM. Priyanka, Jyothi, plus village eldest member — Kondaveedu Subbaiah, age 84, 1987 Saraswathi family's distant relative, local memory keeper. Vaaru pond gatu meedha cooruchuni.
Subbaiah: "Priyanka pilla, aa 1987 story full ga naaku gurthu. Saraswathi age 8. Aa morning aayana amma , Anjanamma , pilla ki chepindi 'pond nunchi chenuvu neellu tisukkuraa, intlo sakalam neellu aipoyindhi.' Kavitha ki kuda last few months ichinaru parents aa pani , water collection. 1987 lo pot tho water fetch karkammai. Saraswathi okkadi velli. Narayana , aa time lo aayana 15 , pond opposite side lo friends tho nillabadedu. Aayana Saraswathi ni chusaaru. Aayana first split-second ki help cheyyaali ani thinking , kaani oka specific thing chesaaru , aayana jebu lo oka 10-rupee note Saraswathi ki owe ga undi, oka week mundhu Saraswathi amma icchina errand money. Aa 10-rupee note vaapasu ivvaalani plan ayinadu aa roju morning , kaani aa time lo vaallu ooradhichhi confronting situation ayithe money return chese nenu oka pilli pilla ki 'thank you' ivvali ani social ga. Aa hesitation , chaala small, maybe 20 seconds , aayana paradi kanikaram la aa pond floor vaipu Saraswathi slip ayyaadu. Aa same time lo Narayana 20 seconds waste chesaaru. Reach ayina timeki Saraswathi underwater. Narayana jumping aa pond lo, searching, but impossible , Saraswathi already drowned. Adhi na memory."
Priyanka: "Subbaiah thaata, aa 10-rupee note meaning em?"
Subbaiah: "Priyanka pilla, aa chinna hesitation , money return chesi 'thank you' social ga adigadamni avoid cheyyaali ani , 20 seconds delay ichhindi. Aa 20 seconds Saraswathi life kurralu. Narayana tarwatha life full ga aa 20 seconds ni regret chesaaru. Kaani aa 20 seconds transparent ga confess cheyyaledu family ki. Aa chinna hesitation ni cover chesaaru , 'Saraswathi slip direct ga aipoindi, nenu reach aipoledu' ani. Chinna cover-up. Aa cover up , oka small integrity breach , Narayana 30 years life antha carry chesaaru. Ippudu granddaughter Kavitha , aayana direct line , same type of misstep ki set up aindhi karma cycle tho."
Jyothi: "Subbaiah thaata, ippudu Kavitha ekkada?"
Subbaiah: "Pilla, naaku oka intuition , pond bottom kaadu. Aa underwater chusaaru drowning search teams. Aa pond ki oka inflow channel undi, aa channel 200 metres upstream ki velli oka chinna drainage pit connect avuthundi. Aa drainage pit recent monsoon lo overflow ayyaayi ani naa observation. Village boundary lo forgotten maintenance area. Aa pit lo check cheyyadamani."
Team aa drainage pit vaipu velli. Kaloji village boundary's north-east corner lo, chinna 8-foot diameter concrete-lined well ga undi — old storm water drainage from 1980s construction. Cover loose. Subbaiah cover tolaigichhaaru.
Lopala — Kavitha's body. Kavitha aa morning November 15 pond side velli, water pot fill cheyyadaaniki, slipped (just like Saraswathi, same spot) — but the water pushed through the inflow channel downstream to drainage pit where the body lodged. Hence pond search failed.
Priyanka kaallu weak ga. Subbaiah silent ga prayer chesaaru. Saraiah and Radha called. Body recovery arranged. Local funeral next day.
Ippudu ee story reverse ga unfold aindi — 2022 case 1987 cause ki direct link ayindhi.
Cremation tarwatha Saraiah family ki Subbaiah oka specific advice icchaaru — "Saraiah, mee naanna 1987 lo 20 seconds hesitation ni life antha hide chesaaru. Aa hesitation Kavitha ki passed , same spot, same type of slip, same result. Mee family ki ippudu oka reconciliation karma avasaram."
Saraiah Subbaiah tho paatu village temple pujari ni consult chesi oka specific rite arrange chesaaru — "samavedana homam" ani, family's past mistakes ki open acknowledgment, ancestor's guilt release ki proper ritual. Homam December 4 ki jarigindi. Saraiah public ga acknowledge chesaadu naanna Narayana 1987 incident ni — "naa naanna aa time lo 20 seconds hesitation Saraswathi ki life cost ayindi. Aayana aa truth ni life antha hide chesaaru. Ippudu Kavitha poyinadhi ni na responsibility ga accept chesthaanu. Saraswathi family ki , Anjanamma ippatiki Khammam lo intlo undi , nenu personal ga velli proper kshma adagutaanu."
Saraiah Khammam ki December 10 ki velli. Anjanamma now 78 years old, distant relative's intlo untu. Saraiah aa old story ni cheppaadu Anjanamma tho. Anjanamma silent ga 15 minutes listen chesaaru. Tarwatha,
Anjanamma: "Saraiah, nenu aa 20 seconds gurinchi 1987 nunchi doubt chesthunna. Narayana cheppinaaru 'direct drowning' ani, kaani village lo oka second hand story , pilla okka 10-rupee note gurinchi ani. Nenu aa specific detail ni proof ivvalekapoyanu. Ippudu nuvvu openly cheptunnav , thank you babu. Kavitha ki naaku grief undi. Mee family ki forgiveness. Aa karma ippudu close avvaali. Mee pilla ki peace."
Anjanamma aa day oka old trunk nunchi oka photo teesaaru — Saraswathi's 1987 January photo, oka family function lo teesina. Oka chinna 8-year-old girl, same 90s blue skirt white shirt uniform, long plaited hair, oka thin silver nose pin. Aa photo ni Saraiah ki icchaaru. "Ee photo ni Kaloji pond daggara oka chinna memorial pai pettali. Saraswathi ki aa space lo oka presence kaadu, oka peace ga memory. Ippudu aa peace arrange cheyyadaaniki nuvvu time icchav."
Saraiah: Saraiah photo ni careful ga chethilo pattukuni, "Anjanamma gaaru, nenu aa work chesthaanu. Kaloji village sarpanch tho matladi oka small memorial shrine pond north corner lo set cheyistaanu , permanent ga. Saraswathi ki oka respect. Kavitha kuda aa same shrine lo oka small dedication. Ee rendu pillalu kosam oka joint memory."
Saraiah Kaloji ki return ayyaaru. Sarpanch Raghu Reddy tho meeting. Sarpanch agreed — village-community ga oka small stone shrine, pond north corner, 1987 nunchi 2022 ki rendu drownings ki joint memorial. Village contribution fund collection. Rs 45,000 raised. January 2023 ki shrine ready. Stone granite, 4-foot height, front face meedha oka small niche for the photo plus engraving: "Saraswathi (1979-1987) · Kavitha (2014-2022) · Honest Water Keepers." Priest consecrated oka January morning ki.
Aa shrine daggara prathi year October ki village lo oka "water remembrance day" ani chinna community practice start ayindhi 2023 nunchi. Pillalu pond daggara adukunnappudu aa shrine kinda oka chinna white flower petti velthe, elders chaala appreciate chestaru. Priyanka ippatiki aa practice ni coordinate chesthaaru staff ga.
Kaloji village lo ee story tarwatha oka chinna policy change kuda ayindhi — water collection ki pillalu single ga velladdu ani school-community ga agreed norm. Pilla age 12 below ki oka adult accompany ivvaali. Aa rule informally implement ayindhi 2023 nunchi.
→ Pakkana ee story kuda chadavandi: Godavari Nillalu
Saraiah oka second change — aayana private ga aa 10-rupee symbolic weight ni acknowledge chesaaru. Aayana naanna Narayana 2015 lo chanipoyinappudu intlo vundedi aa old rupaya, Saraiah aa roju tarwatha aayana photo ki pakkana frame lo pettaaru — "Naanna, nee ee cover-up burden ippudu nunchi levu. Ee family transparent ga undadaaniki commit aipoyindhi." Aa frame ippudu intlo living room wall meedha, regular daily reminder ga. Saraiah's daughter Sruthi pedda ayyaaka aa frame gurinchi adigithe, Saraiah oka simplified version ni cheppaali ani plan chesaaru — "Chinna chinna lies mana family ki oka inkaa inkaa mundhu pain icchaayi, aa pattern ippudu close ayindhi" ani.
Priyanka aa story ni Kaloji village school staff room lo oka simple framed note ga pettindaaru. Note content — "Honesty is not optional. Small cover-ups accumulate into generational karma. Speak the truth, even when it costs." Signed by the school committee, not by Priyanka personally.
Kavitha family slow ga recover ayyaaru. Saraiah 2023 lo farmer cooperative lo joined, public ga vukku vukku lo aayana naanna story ni share chesaaru example ga — "chinna hesitation ni hide cheyyaku, open ga face cheyyi. Generations ki spare avvagalaru." Saraiah aayana another daughter ki — 5 years old Sruthi — ippudu pond vaipu direct ga vellaniyyam ledu.
Aa 90s uniform girl — Saraswathi — Priyanka ki oka chinna last appearance icchindhi December 4 homam tarwatha rathri 9 PM ki pond opposite bank meedha. Priyanka silent ga wave icchindhi aayana vaipu. Saraswathi konchem sepu nilichhi, tarwatha slow ga fade aipoyindhi. Aa rathri nunchi Kaloji pond side lo ee 90s girl sighting reports villagers ki vinipinchaledhu. Saraswathi release ayipoyindhi finally — 35 years tarwatha aayana kosam proper acknowledgment ichaaru, aayana family ki honesty vacchindhi.
Kaloji pond ippudu normal. School ki Priyanka ippatiki teacher — 2025 ki head teacher promoted. Aayana prathi year Class 3 pillalu ki ee same framed note ni read out chesthaaru academic year opening day morning assembly lo — peru ani evaru peru ledhu, just philosophical principle matrame. Village's collective memory ippudu oka chinna change ichhindhi — chinna hesitations ni quickly face cheyyadam oka Kaloji school lesson ga implemented.
Author's note
Real-world context: Wikipedia — Telangana
Naa Karimnagar swagrama side lo oka chinna cheruvu undedhi chinnappudu — maa thaata kaalam nunchi. Aa cheruvu lo 1970s lo oka drowning jarigindhi ani naaku history gurinchi naa chinnatanam lo anyone cheppaledu, kaani one time maa thaata ikkada waste water drain avuthondi ani oka chai shop akka matladutu cheppindhi — "aayana aa cheruvu ki ippati daaka vellaniyyam ledu pillalu ki, oka 30 years past incident kosam." Aa statement naaku chinnappudey stuck aipoyindhi. Asalu oka cheruvu ki inka oka incident guilt-memory ga 50 years persist avuthundi ante — mana community ki aa types of sacred/cursed water bodies oka kind of living witness ga present untayi. Ee story nenu purely fictional ga construct chesaanu — places, names, families, all invented. Kaani core structure — 35 years mundhu oka small cover-up karma cycle ga reappear avvadam — aa type of pattern nenu rural Telangana lo chaala mandhi elder stories lo vinnaanu. 2024 Bathukamma weekend ki oka friend Warangal rural side story cheppaadu, direct ga ilaanti oka 1988 incident reappearing 2022 lo. Comments lo mee villages lo ilaanti 'generational water-memory' stories share cheyyandi. Maa Sanjana ki kuda ee topic meedha interest — aayana pre-wedding ki maa ooru visit chesinappudu, cheruvu daggara oka amma tho matladutu spent chesindhi one evening.
— 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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