Shalimar Express Berth 47

Post #099 · Prayanam Kathalu · 2024-08-14 · Karma

Katha saarāmsham · Premise: A commuter finds his berth already made with a pillow shaped like someone slept on it. The previous passenger's bag is still there — and so is she.
Setting: Secunderabad-Shalimar route (Hyderabad / Telangana).
In English: Shalimar Express Berth 47. A Lighted Tales original Telugu horror story, written in Romanized Telugu (Tenglish) with Telangana dialect.

Shalimar Express Berth 47

[YOUNG WOMAN - WHISPER] "Sir, please mee ticket chudandi okkasari. Naa berth 47 lower, kaani aa berth midha already someone. Aame leave avvali ledhu, ticket clash."

[TTE - LOW VOICE] "Madam, mee ticket chudandi naaku. PNR enti?"

[YOUNG WOMAN] "PNR 2847619013. S3 47 lower, Secunderabad nunchi Howrah waraku, naa peru Praneetha Reddy."

Tte: "Madam, naa daggara list lo aa berth lo ee booking confirmed. Aa berth lo ippudu unna lady, atanu peru ee ticket lo aame? Aame booking valid kaadu emo."

[YOUNG WOMAN] "Sir, naaku teliyadhu aame peru. Aame koorchunaaru, aame paddhukoni, aame bag berth midha. Aame ki nenu disturb cheyyali ani feel ledhu naaku, aame aged ga undi. Kaani naaku ekkada paddhukunatu? Naaku 22 hour journey."

Shalimar Express, Train 12839 — Secunderabad nunchi Howrah ki overnight + day journey, route via Kazipet, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Khurda, Howrah. 27 hours total. Aa train name confusing oftentimes — Shalimar anede Howrah pakkana area, Bangladesh border kaadu. Aa train Indian Railways heritage list lo unnadi.

Praneetha Reddy, age 26, MBA freshly muginchi, Kolkata lo first job — oka management consulting firm fictional DeccanStack East. Aame Hyderabad lo grew up, parents Banjara Hills lo. Aame Kolkata move first time, October 2024 lo. Aame Shalimar Express ki ticket book chesindi — atanu cheaper ga flight kantey, aame ki budget tight first job initial weeks ki.

Aame Secunderabad station 7:25 PM departure ki ekkindi 7 PM ki. S3 coach, berth 47 lower. Aame coach lopaliki step in chesi tharvaata, aame berth dheggara cherukundi. Berth 47 lower lo — already oka woman koorchunaaru. Aame age 60-65, oka simple cotton cheera light-colored, aame thodala midha oka cloth bag. Aame eyes therichi paitha vaipu chusthundi, kaani Praneetha vaipu chusi acknowledge cheyyaledhu.

Praneetha confused. Aame ticket malli check chesindi phone lo — S3 47 lower, name Praneetha Reddy. Aame thala thippi pakkana berth ki check — empty seats. Aame ki ardham kaadhu — aa woman atanu compartment lo wrong berth lo settle ayyaaru emo, atanu mistake.

[PRANEETHA - GENTLE] "Madam, naa berth ee 47 lower. Mee ticket emo? Mee berth different ga emo."

Aame thala light ga thippi Praneetha vaipu chusindi. Aame eyes — gray, slightly cloudy ga, kaani direct ga. Aame oka long second silent. Aame oka small smile vesindi.

[OLD WOMAN] "Mamma, naaku ticket undi. Mee TTE ki adugandi mee chesi. Naa berth ee."

Praneetha frowned. Aame TTE call cheyyali ani decide chesindi. Aame bag ni overhead luggage rack lo pettali, kaani overhead full ga oka large suitcase undi — aa woman atanu suitcase emo. Aame bag floor pakkana untuchi, aame TTE compartment vaipu nadichindi.

TTE coach venuka end lo. Atanu paatadu, age 55, name plate "K. Lakshmaiah" — same TTE earlier route lo, transferred ee year. Atanu Praneetha conversation listen chesaaru opening segment.

Atanu Praneetha tho aa berth ki returned. Atanu old woman ki adigaaru polite ga.

→ Idey theme lo inka oka katha: Kacheguda Sleeper 72

Lakshmaiah: "Amma, mee ticket chupinchandi. PNR check chestha."

Aame oka cloth bag lo nunchi oka folded paper teesindi. Aa paper aame TTE ki ichindi. TTE atanu chusi, atanu mukham slowly drained.

Aa paper — old printed ticket. Indian Railways printed format 1987 style — atanu serial ink, atanu paper texture old, atanu fold marks decades old. Aa ticket lo:

Shalimar Express, Train 12839, Secunderabad to Howrah Coach S3, Berth 47 lower Passenger: Smt. Subbalakshmi, age 58 Date of journey: 1987 March 12 Fare paid: Rs. 380

Lakshmaiah ticket gently fold chesi aame ki return ichaaru. Atanu Praneetha vaipu thala thippi.

[LAKSHMAIAH - WHISPER] "Madam, please pakkana side berth lo settle avvandi okka second. Naaku conversation cheyyali aame tho. Mee ki naaku 5 minutes."

Praneetha confused, kaani aame cooperated. Aame side berth lo koorchundi.

Lakshmaiah aa woman pakkana koorchunaaru. Atanu voice low.

Lakshmaiah: "Subbalakshmi amma, naaku gurthu mee ki, naa father aa same train lo TTE 1987 lo. Atanu cheppaaru, okka woman 1987 March 12 ki Secunderabad nunchi Howrah ki ekkindi, aame son ki Calcutta lo settle ayina son ki visit chesthundi. Aame Vijayawada cross chesina tharvaata, aame heart attack ki seat lo, aame son ki reach kaaledhu. Aame body Howrah lo handed over family ki. Aame son grief lo, atanu Calcutta nunchi Hyderabad ki return ayyaaru aame antimakriya ki, atanu mother memory tho life lo. Atanu age ippudu 65 emo, atanu inkaa Hyderabad lo. Amma, mee aa same berth ki return aithunaaru. Mee son ki reach kaaledhu, mee atma stuck. 37 years."

Praneetha breath aagindi. Aame ee dialogue listen chesindi. Aame ki ardham aa woman alive kaadu — aa woman atma. Aame heart fast.

Subbalakshmi: Aame eyes lo neeru patta. "Babu, naaku 37 years naa son ni meet cheyyali. Naa son peru Vamshi Krishna. Atanu Hyderabad lo, atanu wife & daughter & grandkids. Naaku atanu peace ivvaali. Naaku release kavaali. Kaani ee train okka ee Howrah ki velli, atanu Hyderabad lo. Naaku ee loop nunchi exit cheyyaledhu."

Lakshmaiah: "Amma, mee son atanu ki naaku phone number undi. Naa father papers lo notes 1987 lo, atanu son contact undi. Atanu number maintained generations ga, old family numbers Hyderabad lo. Naaku ee saari teesthaa atanu number, mee ki naa phone tho atanu ki connect. Mee atma direct ga atanu meet cheyyaledhu kaani mee voice atanu ki phone lo vinipinchaali, mee chivari mata atanu ki, adi mee release."

Lakshmaiah phone teesi old ledger reference number dialed. Atanu phone Praneetha ki ichaaru.

Lakshmaiah: "Madam, mee help kaavali. Naaku TTE on duty, naaku phone ki direct hold cheyyaledhu, naa hands official ga. Mee phone tho ee call hold cheyyandi, aame voice transmit cheyyandi atanu ki, atanu ki cheppandi mee ee atma."

Praneetha hesitated, kaani aame ki feel — ee saari aame role critical. Aame phone teesi number dialed. Phone ringing.

Phone pickup. Voice — old man, gentle ga.

[VAMSHI KRISHNA - PHONE] "Hello?"

[PRANEETHA - WHISPER, PHONE TO HER EAR] "Sir, mee peru Vamshi Krishna garu? Mee mother Subbalakshmi 1987 lo Shalimar Express lo passed away — naaku gurthu mee story?"

[VAMSHI KRISHNA] Long pause. "Yes... naaku gurthu. Adi 37 years back. Em ayyindi madam? Mee evvaru?"

Praneetha: "Sir, naaku ee saari explain cheyyali, kaani important. Naaku mee mother atma kanipinchindi Shalimar Express lo, S3 47 lower berth midha. Aame ki mee tho oka chivari moment ki release kavali. Naa pakkana TTE Lakshmaiah, atanu help. Aame voice mee ki istha, please listen, aame ki shanti."

Praneetha phone ni Subbalakshmi vaipu thirigi pettindi. Aame whisper ga, kaani audible ga.

→ Pakkana ee story kuda chadavandi: Secunderabad TTE

Subbalakshmi: "Vamshi, naa kanna. Naaku Calcutta lo mee tho meet cheyyaledhu 1987 lo. Naaku heart attack. Naaku gurthu mee chinnatanam, naaku gurthu mee first job interview, naaku gurthu mee pelli Lalitha tho 1989 lo. Mee daughter Ramya naaku gurthu, aame photos newspaper lo aame Karnatik singer. Mee grandson Vihaan, atanu naaku photos lo gurthu. Naaku release kaavaali. Mee meeda ee 37 years burden, mee meeda guilt, naaku ki naaku sariga ravadam cheyyaledhu. Mee guilt vaddu. Mee life full ga complete. Naaku peace."

Phone other end lo silence. Tharvaata Vamshi Krishna voice — tear ga.

[VAMSHI KRISHNA] "Amma... amma. Naaku gurthu mee voice. 37 years ee voice naaku gurthu. Amma, naaku release ga. Naaku 37 years guilt, naaku mee ki call cheyyaledhu aa morning, naaku mee phone lo nuvvu rave-aledhu, naaku Calcutta nunchi Hyderabad ki ravaledhu time lo. Amma, naaku forgiveness. Naaku peace. Naaku release."

Subbalakshmi: "Naa kanna, mee ki naa forgiveness. Memu meet ayithamu malli, naa atma malli birth lo emo, mee great-grandkids tho. Aa cycle continue. Inkaa naaku release. Vidaipoye, naa kanna."

Phone connection silence. Subbalakshmi atanu cheyyi gentle ga Praneetha cheyyi ki touch chesindi — wet clay laaga, but warm. Aame oka small smile, aame slowly fade. Aa cloth bag, ticket — gone. Berth empty.

Praneetha phone ni Lakshmaiah ki returned. Atanu ki tear visible. Phone other end lo Vamshi Krishna sob audible.

[LAKSHMAIAH - PHONE] "Sir, mee mother release. Mee forgiveness, mee voice, aame journey complete. Naaku my father atanu hand over chesina ee ledger note, 'Subbalakshmi atma S3 47 lower lo wait, aame son ki connect cheyyali.' Naa father retire ayyaaru, naaku duty ga inherited. Ippudu close. Sir, mee peace."

Vamshi Krishna phone other end lo silent prayer chesthunaaru. Phone disconnected.

Praneetha aa raathri tharvaata aa berth lo settled. Aame paddhukundi, aame mind racing tho process. Aame ki ardham — aa atanu cycle, prarabdha — anede individual matter kaadhu, families ki, generations ki. Subbalakshmi son ki reach kaaledhu ee aa atma trapped, aame son atanu ki kuda guilt. Vaaru rendu ki release okkasari.

Aame Kolkata morning lo cherukundi 27 hours tharvaata. Aame Lakshmaiah ki goodbye chepi, aame office ki velli first day.

Real-world context: Wikipedia — TSRTC

Aame oka year tharvaata Hyderabad return chesindi Christmas vacation lo. Aame Vamshi Krishna ki visit chesindi — atanu Banjara Hills lo small house lo. Atanu age 65, atanu wife Lalitha 60, atanu daughter Ramya & grandkids visiting. Atanu Praneetha ki lunch invite chesaaru. Atanu cheppaaru, "Praneetha, aa raathri naa life lo most important moment 37 years lo. Naa amma voice naaku malli vinipinchindi, ee cycle close. Mee role critical, naaku you family laaga. Mee future blessings." Atanu daughter Ramya oka small carnatic raga sing chesindi lunch tharvaata — atanu grandmother Subbalakshmi favorite raga. Aa moment lo family lo peace.

Praneetha Kolkata return chesina samayam, aame office work routine ga aithundi, kaani aame phone lo Vamshi Krishna family tho regular contact. Aame ki ee experience reset chesindi life perspective ki — aame mother & father tho regular calls, aame ki gurthu vaaru kosam guilt-free presence build cheyyali ani.

Author's note

Shalimar Express real ga Secunderabad-Howrah long-distance overnight + day train. Atanu name confusing — Shalimar anede Howrah pakkana area Kolkata lo, atanu Bangladesh border kaadu. Aa train naaku oka 2017 lo Kolkata trip kosam familiar — naaku atanu sleeper class booking, S3 coach, naa berth lower. Aa journey lo naaku oka peculiar small experience — pakkana berth lo aged woman, aame mata-leni, kaani aame nidra lo whisper visible. Aame ki naaku attention cheyyaledhu time lo, kaani aa memory naaku ee story ki kernel ichindi.

Prarabdha — past-deeds consequence — anede individual lifetimes lo trapped kaadu. Family chains lo continue. Subbalakshmi son ki reach cheyyaledhu, atanu ki guilt 37 years. Rendu sides ki release kavaali okkasari. Plot lo dramatized.

Mee ki long-distance trains lo experiences? Comments lo cheppandi.

— Sai Kiran · Lighted Tales

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

Further reading · Real-world context

Telugu horror stories

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