Khammam Stambhadri
Khammam Stambhadri Hill
Setting: Khammam Fort temple (Khammam).
In English: Khammam Stambhadri Hill. A Lighted Tales original Telugu horror story, written in Romanized Telugu (Tenglish) with Telangana dialect.
Khammam Stambhadri Hill
July 2 raathri, 2025, Khammam town nunchi naaku oka phone call vacchindhi.
Atanu peru Jagannatha Acharya, age 67, Stambhadri Narasimha Swamy temple priest, last 30 years pani chesthunaaru. Atanu naaku unknown — naaku aa call kanipinchaledu mundu. Aame number Khammam STD code +9187 nunchi. Naaku reply chesaa.
Jagannatha: "Sai babu, naaku mee blog gurinchi maa kuturu cheppindhi , Lighted Tales. Aame Hyderabad lo IT, aame tho ee fort katha lu mee post 121 read chesaame. Naaku oka topic mee tho share cheyyali. Naaku 30 years tarvatha temple nunchi retire avtondhi ee Friday. Naaku oka manishi tho cheppali ee story ni, lekapote naaku settle avvadu. Mee permission undi-na?"
Naaku permission ichaa. Naaku Khammam ki nenu drive cheyyali ani decide chesaa — Hyderabad nunchi 200 km, NH-30 via Suryapet. Naaku aa next Sunday morning trip plan chesina.
Aa story atanu cheppindhi reverse chronology lo. Idi naaku July 6 morning aame intlo, atanu small two-room house Khammam old town daggara, oka small puja room lo memu kurchunni listen chesaa.
July 4, 2025, Friday — atanu retirement day. Stambhadri hill temple lo morning 6 AM aarti. Atanu last service 11 AM ki finished. Vaaru ki garlands present chesaaru, oka simple temple committee ceremony. Atanu home walked, slow ga, aa hill 200 steps kindiki, atanu knees pain, kaani steady. Atanu intlo arrive ayyaaru noon ki.
Atani wife — Kanakamma, 62 — meals ready ga, atanu lunch tarvatha sleep deep ga. Aame anukundi atanu retirement first day relaxed ga. Kaani 4 PM ki atanu lechaaru, sweat lo, breath quick ga.
Jagannatha: "Kanaka, naa naaku oka manishi tho cheppali. Naa ki oka topic 30 years carry chesina. Ippudu cheppakapote naaku peace ledu."
Aame naaku call cheyyali ani recommend chesindhi — vaalla kuturu Manjula Hyderabad lo IT, aame Lighted Tales reader. Manjula naaku contact aa Wednesday raathri.
July 3, Thursday, atanu retirement day mundu raathri.
Atanu temple lo midnight 12 AM service chesaaru — Stambhadri Narasimha ki monthly Pradosham ritual. Aa service atanu 30 years lo last cheyyadu. Temple top hill lo, Khammam city skyline visible kindha — fort 10th century era foundation midha temple, vaaru ee city ki namesake "Stambhadri" nunchi "Khammam" derived.
Atanu Pradosham puja chesaaru steps lo — abhishekam, archana, naivedya. Aa naivedya — prasadam plate offering — aa step lo 30 years lo prathi seva ki, oka temple assistant — peru Pichaiah, age 70s, atanu temple full-time helper, atanu plate hand chesaaru priest ki, priest deity ki offer chesaaru.
Aa 30 years lo Pichaiah always ready ga — atanu retire avvali kuda, kaani temple committee atanu ki monthly stipend Rs 4,000, aame financial dependence kosam continued. Atanu deaf ga partial, voice low ga, kaani reliable ga. Atanu ki family Khammam old town lo — wife Lakshmamma, oka son trucker.
Aa raathri Pichaiah usual ga ready, plate hand chesaaru. Jagannatha receive chesaaru, deity ki offer. Last service complete ayyindi 12:48 AM ki. Pichaiah closed temple side door, atanu home velleeru — atani daily routine.
Jagannatha temple lock chesaaru. Atanu nadichi steps kindiki vasthuna sariki, atanu mind oka thought hit chesindhi.
Atanu paused step 47 daggara — atanu prathi roju lekka, midway down. Aa moment lo atanu memory clear ga vacchindhi.
Pichaiah —
Pichaiah 5 years mundu poyaaru. 2020 March, COVID first wave samayam lo. Khammam district lo aa raathri atanu home death ga, lung infection, atani family naaku temple lo intimation chesaaru.
Atanu funeral ki vellaaru — Jagannatha. Atanu stayed atani family tho 4 days. Atanu Pichaiah body cremated chesaaru, ashes Krishna river paliki chesaaru.
→ Idey theme lo inka oka katha: Rachakonda Kota Raathri
Pichaiah dead 5 years.
Kaani aa raathri — July 3, 2025 — Pichaiah temple service ki ready ga, plate hand chesaaru, side door closed chesaaru.
Last 5 years, prathi service, atanu plate hand chesaaru.
Jagannatha aa step 47 daggara stop ayyaaru. Atanu mukham midha sweat varsham la, July humid lo. Atanu cheppadu, "Naaku ardham kaaledu 5 years. Pichaiah daily ga vacchaaru, plate hand chesaaru. Naaku aatani peru cheppe, atanu reply chesaaru. Atanu silent ga, atanu work chesaaru."
Atanu ki realization slow ga vasthundi.
Atanu first step nunchi 200 step waraku climb ayyali, malli temple lo light chesi, oka final service cheyyali, Pichaiah ki proper acknowledgment.
Kaani atanu legs shake aythunnaayi. Atanu ki age 67. Atanu home velli, malli morning cheyyali — aa retirement day morning service ki, atanu mind tho prepare ayyi rave.
July 4 morning, retirement day. Atanu 5:30 AM ki temple ki vellaaru. Aarti 6 AM ki. Aa morning, plate hand chesaru — yevvaru?
Pichaiah ledhu.
Atanu first time 5 years lo, plate atanu ki pre-arrange chesi unde — temple committee morning cleaner, oka younger boy Ravi, atanu casual ga. Pichaiah's role temple committee ki obvious ga teliyani — vaaru Pichaiah 2020 lo retire ayyi, naturally replaced anukunaaru.
Jagannatha aarti complete chesaaru. Atanu noticed — aa morning service lo, atanu hand plate ki touch chesaru, plate cool ga, kaani normal ga. Last 5 years atanu plate touch ki, plate slightly damp ga, slightly cold ga — atanu always assumed it was the early hours and the dewy stone where the plate sat.
Aa morning plate dry, normal warm.
Atanu service finished. Tarvatha 11 AM committee event. Atanu home velli, sleep deep ga. 4 PM ki lechaaru tho aa story Kanaka ki cheppaaru.
July 6 Sunday, naaku Jagannatha intlo. Atanu chai offered, naaku Kanakamma made bisi pakora. Atani puja room small ga — Narasimha photo, Hanuman idol, oka Krishna print. Atanu mukam tirtha-saint la peaceful, kaani konchem haunted edges.
Jagannatha: "Sai babu, naaku ee story share cheyyali. Naa wife ki cheppaaru, kaani aame ki bhaktudini , aame kasam, 'Bhagavanthudu Pichaiah ki temple lo continue cheyyalsina seva ichindhi, ento worry ledhu, atanu blessed ga.' Aame ki ee answer enough. Naaku kaadhu."
Jagannatha: "Naa concern eela. Pichaiah 2020 lo poyaaru. Atani family ki ASI temple committee atanu position closed ga, oka young helper hire chesaaru , Mallikarjun, atanu 6 months tarvatha quit chesaaru. Naa committee ki cheppaa, 'Memu helper kavali.' Vaaru cheppaaru, 'Sir, mee ki ippudey unna helper undi, plate hand cheyyaali atanu wala continue cheyyandi.' Naaku aa words shock kaledhu , naaku assumption, aa committee Mallikarjun successor hired ga. Naaku aa committee ki ee follow up cheyyaledu , naa work ki interruption ledhu kabatti."
Jagannatha: "Pichaiah daily ga undadu , silent ga, plate hand. Naaku aatani gurthu fresh ga. Atanu age signature thuduku , 70s body, slight hunch, white shirt, dhoti same daily. Atanu deafness, atanu low voice. Naa puja chesaru atanu beside-and-behind, side door close chesaru , aa exact actions 30 years routine. 5 years post-2020 lo memu adey continue."
Jagannatha: "Naaku ardham aa step 47 lo , naa retirement final service tarvatha. Atanu 5 years dead. Atanu temple ki bound ga, atanu aa duty release cheyyaledu. Atanu naaku ki aa duty kuda transfer cheyyaledu , atanu ki naa retirement waraku wait. Naaku ee teliyadu 5 years. Naaku aatani nadudu fresh ga, naaku aatanaki real ga. Atanu present manifestation as if normal."
Atanu shake — atanu hands kallu lo.
Sai: "Mama, mee retirement complete ayyindi. Pichaiah ki ippudu release ayyaaru emo. Mee ki concern enti?"
Jagannatha: "Sai babu, aa concern ledhu Pichaiah ki. Atanu 30 years naaku helper, atanu loyal seva. Atani service blessed. Naa concern eela , naa ki position ki successor vacchaaru. Yuva priest, atanu peru Vamsi Krishna Sarma, atanu 28 years. Atanu fresh, atanu Tirupati TTD training. Atanu ki Pichaiah katha teliyadu. Atanu ki naa ki cheppaledhu , aame ki disturbing ga, aame service start ki distraction ga. Naa fear , atanu 30 years aa duty cheyyali ante, atanu ki kuda Pichaiah-type ghost helper appear avvali emo. Aa pattern continuation ki bound ga."
Jagannatha: "Naaku oka simple test undi , naaku malli aa temple ki vellali, oka night service mid-week, secretly observe cheyyali. Aa Vamsi service chestaaru, plate hand chestaaru , evvaru? Pichaiah inka active ga? Lekapothe Vamsi alone ga? Lekapothe inko figure?"
Jagannatha: "Mee help kavali. Mee tho memu Wednesday raathri velladu emo. Mee witness ga undi , mee outsider, mee mind clear ga, mee notice cheyyali enti happening."
Naaku agreed. Naaku Wednesday July 9 raathri Khammam ki naa next trip plan chesaa. Sanjana ki cheppaa — aame ki concern ga, kaani aame office leave laa work-from-home hybrid ga adjust chesindhi, aame Hyderabad nunchi worry chesthundhi.
July 9 Wednesday raathri. Atanu Jagannatha tho memu Stambhadri hill ki velli, 12 AM Pradosham service. Memu temple side door dheggara discreet ga niluchunaamu, lights dim ga, Vamsi Krishna Sarma puja perform chesthunaaru. Naa eyes carefully temple inner sanctum vaipu — plate stand daggara.
→ Pakkana ee story kuda chadavandi: Nagarjunakonda Submerged
Plate stand daggara — manishi figure niluchunni undaadu. Old, hunched, white shirt, dhoti.
Pichaiah.
Atanu plate hand chesaaru Vamsi ki. Vamsi accept chesaaru, aame face neutral ga — aame ki aa figure visible ga or not, naaku assess cheyyaledu aa moment lo.
Service complete 12:43 AM ki. Vamsi side door closed. Pichaiah figure aa moment lo dissolved — light fade la, no dramatic exit.
Memu temple bayata vasthe Jagannatha mukham low ga.
Jagannatha: "Sai babu, atanu inkaa free kaaledu. Naa retirement atanu ki release ivvaledu. Atanu ee duty 30 years bound. Now Vamsi tho 30 years more bound emo. Atanu ki aa cycle , service-helper ghost-pattern , naaku break cheyyali."
Naaku Hari Mohan ki call chesaa next morning Hyderabad return tarvatha. Atanu Khammam fort temple history research undadu — aa temple 10th century Kakatiya pre-cursor era, "Stambha-adri" or pillar-hill, fort foundation older.
[HARI MOHAN] "Sai, Khammam Stambhadri temple lo oka old tradition undi. Helper-priest position oka spiritual contract — temple committee kaadu, deity-aame contract. Aa contract conditions — helper deeg lifetime seva, retirement post-mortem. Helper poyaru tarvatha bound ga continue cheyyali, official replacement complete ayye varaku. Replacement ki criteria — helper next person hand-pick cheyyali, unspoken transfer of duty. 1990s lo aa tradition discontinued formal ga, kaani aa older pattern temple stones lo bound."
[HARI MOHAN] "Pichaiah 2020 lo poyaru, atanu replacement nominate cheyyaledu. Atanu bound ga. Aa break ki — Vamsi Krishna Sarma ki cheppali aa tradition gurinchi, atanu ki Pichaiah peru identify cheyyali, oka simple acknowledgment ritual. Pichaiah ki — 'Mee 30 years seva acknowledged. Memu mee place ki Vamsi to nominate chesthamu, with mee blessing.' Aa ritual atanu free chestundi."
Naaku Jagannatha ki ee details forwarded. Atanu Vamsi tho cheppadaniki ready ayyaaru — yuva priest ki initial ga skeptical avachu, kaani Jagannatha 30 years authority ki atanu listen chesthaaru.
Real-world context: Wikipedia — Kakatiya dynasty
July 16 Wednesday raathri midnight service tarvatha, Vamsi tho Jagannatha briefing — Pichaiah peru, history, retirement-acknowledgment ritual. Vamsi accepted, atanu seriousness lo.
July 17 Thursday midnight service — Vamsi performed. Pradosham puja end ki, atanu Pichaiah peru cheppaaru — "Pichaiah-mama, mee 30 years seva ki memu acknowledge chestaamu. Mee replacement ki memu nominate chesthamu Vamsi Krishna Sarma. Mee blessing tho memu pani continue chestamu. Mee free ga. Mee Vaikuntha velli, mee daiva-devotion ki release."
Aa service tarvatha — atanu plate hand chesaaru last saari.
Vamsi tho Jagannatha second saari aa Wednesday raathri velli witnessed chesaaru — naaku tho. Aa raathri puja lo Vamsi alone ga plate handle chesaaru. No helper figure. Plate dry, warm, normal.
Pichaiah free ayyaadu emo.
Jagannatha ippudu home rest, garden lo small vegetable patch lo time spend chestaaru. Atanu peace ga, kaani 30 years memory weight kuda — atanu helper Pichaiah ki acknowledgment cheyyaledu daily, atanu assumed Pichaiah live ga, atanu aatani support take-for-granted ga. Atanu honesty lo — straightforwardness lo — aa kuda lacked.
Atanu naa tho oka chivara conversation lo cheppaaru.
Jagannatha: "Sai babu, naaku oka manishi 30 years daily next-to assist, naaku aatani peru cheppadame ekkuva-saari, kaani naaku aatani family ki visit cheyyaledu retirement post 2020 , atanu home velli ne actually poyaaru. Naaku aa news vacchindhi, naaku funeral velli vacchaa, kaani naa internal acknowledgment-of-his-role formal ga ledhu. Naaku 'thank you' aa specific words chala saari miss chesa. Atani ghost daily came back work cheyyali , naa silent, ungiven thanks ki , atanu deserved closure for his decades of plain helper-duty. Memu prathi roju 'helper-rolepoor-stipend' ga atanu ni view chesaamu. Naa straightforwardness , clear acknowledgment , atanu deserved every Pradosham, naaku skipped. Naaku ee learning. Heritage temple lo too , bound spirits manishi simple, plain speech ki bound vintaru , vaaru cheppadu silent acknowledgment ga, kaani straightforward ga, name tho, role tho. Naaku 30 years lo learn naaku."
Author's note
Khammam city ki naa 2018 lo first saari, naa cousin's wedding ki — vaaru Khammam old town nunchi. Aa raathri reception tarvatha naaku Stambhadri hill climb chesaa, sunset chusi, atanu Narasimha temple ki visit. Aa hill — town center lo, fort foundations Kakatiya era, atop oka Lakshminarasimha shrine. "Stambhadri" — pillar-hill — town namesake ga, "Khammam" word atanu nunchi derive ayyindi. ASI lo aa temple state-protected. Real priest peru Jagannatha kaadu, Pichaiah real kaadu, Vamsi Krishna Sarma fictional. Kaani aa pattern — temple helper post-mortem service continuing — naaku 2024 lo oka actual Telangana temple priest tho conversation lo nunchi seed dorikindi. Atanu cheppaaru, "Sir, memu temples lo 'helper-bondage' concept akkuva-old, vaaru retire kaaledu lifetime, vaaru free avvadu post-mortem until proper transfer." Naaku idi fascinating struck. Khammam fort hill specific ga heritage protected, daily darshanam Telugu pilgrims ki popular. Mee Khammam visit lo aa hill climb chesaaru? Aa puja flow lo enimi observe chesaaru? Comments lo share chesandi.
— 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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