Below are answers to questions readers ask most often. If your question is not here, please write to [PANDRALA@HOTMAIL.COM] or use the Contact Us page.
1. What kind of horror stories will I find here?
Original Telugu horror fiction across five themes:
- Vūri Bhūthakathalu — village horror (smashanam, water spirits, ancestral homes, jatara horror)
- City Bhayam — urban horror (Hyderabad apartments, IT offices, PG hostels, Old City lanes)
- Prayānam Kathalu — journey horror (buses, trains, Ola/Uber, highways, the multi-part Aakari Bus arc)
- Charitra Deyyaalu — historical hauntings (Warangal Fort, Golconda, Nizam-era palaces, ancient temples)
- Technology Horror — modern fears (WhatsApp from the dead, ride-share app glitches, smart-device anomalies)
2. What language are the stories in?
Most stories are written in Romanized Telugu (Tenglish) — Telugu written in Roman script with English code-switching, the way most Telugu and Telangana speakers actually text and chat in 2026. The dialect is Telangana, not literary Coastal Andhra register. A few legacy stories are in pure Telugu script.
This is a deliberate choice. Tenglish makes the stories accessible to readers who can speak and understand Telugu but cannot read the script — particularly younger urban readers and the Telugu diaspora.
3. Are the stories true?
No. All stories are works of fiction. The places mentioned (Hyderabad, Karimnagar, Warangal, NH-163, Manair Dam, Charminar, Golconda, etc.) are real and used as setting only. Modern characters, apartment names, companies, and phone numbers are entirely invented. Real folkloric and historical references are used as cultural backdrop, not as factual claims about the supernatural.
Please see the Terms of Service for the full fictional disclaimer.
4. Who writes these stories?
Sai Kiran Pandrala — Karimnagar-born, Hyderabad-based software engineer who has been writing Telugu horror since 2016. The blog is a one-person project. The same author also runs Vikram Bethala Kathalu and the Lighted Tales YouTube channel for narrated audio versions.
Read the About Us page for the full background.
5. How often are new stories published?
The current schedule is roughly 1 to 2 new stories per week, sometimes paced around the project's themed batches. Subscribe to the blog (or use the RSS feed) to get notified when a new post goes live.
6. In what order should I read?
Most stories are standalone — you can read in any order. For first-time readers, my recommended starting points are:
- The newest post on the homepage — easiest entry.
- The legacy Shavam tho Prayanam series (the original 2016 posts under that label) — where this blog began.
- The Aakari Bus 5-part arc (when published) — the journey-horror flagship and longest narrative.
If you prefer audio, subscribe to Lighted Tales on YouTube.
7. Can I share the stories?
Yes — please share. We encourage you to spread the word.
You may:
- Share links on WhatsApp, social media, or by email
- Quote up to 200 words from any single story with attribution and a link back to the original post
You may not:
- Reproduce full stories on any other website, app, newsletter, podcast, video, or print publication without written permission
- Use stories as training data for AI or machine-learning systems without permission
- Sell or commercially exploit any story
See the Terms of Service for the full copyright policy.
8. Can I submit my own story?
At present, the blog is a single-author project — I do not accept third-party story submissions for publication. However, if you have experienced something at a real Telangana location that you think is worth fictionalising, I am happy to consider the seed of an idea (with credit if I use it). Email [YOUR_BRAND_EMAIL].
9. Are translations available?
Currently the stories are available in Tenglish (Romanized Telugu) only, with a few legacy entries in pure Telugu script. English-language summaries appear in each story's hero block. Full English translations and other Indian-language editions may be considered in the future based on reader demand.
10. Is the site safe for children?
The stories are intended for a mature audience due to their potentially scary themes. The site is not directed at children under 13. Parental guidance is recommended for younger readers.
11. How can I contact you?
- Email: [YOUR_BRAND_EMAIL]
- Comment: on any specific story's blog post (fastest)
- Form: the contact form in the website footer
- YouTube: via the Lighted Tales channel
12. Can I support the project?
The most helpful things you can do:
- Read and share — the stories you find good, send to friends. Word of mouth is the project's primary growth engine.
- Subscribe to the YouTube channel at Lighted Tales — audio narrations help me reach readers who prefer to listen.
- Comment — even a one-line reaction tells me which stories landed.
- Disable ad-blockers on this site if you can — ads are how the work is sustained.
13. Does this site use cookies and ads?
Yes. The site displays advertisements served by Google AdSense and uses cookies for analytics and ad personalisation. Full details, including how to opt out of personalised advertising, are in the Privacy Policy.
— Sai Kiran Pandrala
Telugu Horror Stories / Lighted Tales
[PANDRALA@HOTMAIL.COM]