Bhairava

Summer season had started its rule with a banger. There were barely any clouds present in the blue sky. A village named Magudi was situated at the backdrop of a lush green forest. The villagers were used to the scorching heat of the summer, which did not make them uncomfortable.
Bhairav's younger brother Raman happened to pass by a tea shop. Some mysterious men lurking behind the trees waited for the perfect opportunity to kidnap him. They scanned around to ensure no one gazed at them before they abducted him to the forest. Poor Raman tried to call for help, but they gagged his mouth, making him helpless. Bhadra, the leader of the pack, harboured a grudge against Bhairav's family. He had learnt black magic over the years through his sheer dedication to evil Manjappa, which was a powerful demon. Whenever he desired, he could get possessed by evil Manjappa so that he could get his evil work done with no hassles. Bhairav's father, Kanakachala, was a revered personality in the village. Bhadra's father, Seena, was a habitual thief. He used to steal expensive objects from people. One day, he had even stolen jewelleries from Lord Bhairav's temple but ran out of luck as he got caught red-handed. Kanakachala and the villagers had banished him into the forest for offending Lord Bhairav. Seena got killed by a tiger and his son, who was ten-years old at that time, promised to avenge his death by demolishing Kanakachala's family. Since he was powerless, he decided to spend many years learning black magic, which could help him exact revenge against Kanakachala's family. Kanakachala died because of a heart attack, but his family remained intact in Magudi village. So, Bhadra's modus operandi was to kill the family members one by one, thereby ending their lineage. Poor Raman did not understand why he had been kidnapped. Bhadra performed black magic as he got possessed by evil Manjappa. He smeared mud on his face as his body vibrated with the full force of being possessed by a demon. Astonished by the act, Raman tried to free himself from Bhadra's henchmen but they were too strong for him. Bhadra roared like a lion, which sent tremors through the forest and also sent chills down the spine of Raman. Bhadra's henchmen pushed Raman to the front, who fell to the legs of Bhadra. The possessed Bhadra pounced on Raman as he bit his throat with his powerful teeth. Raman's legs twitched as he met with a brutal death. Bhadra's mouth was smeared with blood as the demon within him left his body. Bhadra had abducted a plastic surgeon who helped him to undergo plastic surgery, changing him to look like Raman.

Bhairav resorted to prayers to please Lord Bhairav. His pregnant wife Savitha too chanted Bhairav's verses with full dedication. Both of them seemed to be gripped by Lord Bhairav's powerful prayers. Raman's wife Radhika tugged at the window grills and gazed outside, wondering why her husband had not come yet. Bhairav's other brother, Venkata, arrived. He asked Radhika to get him a glass of water.
"Didn't you see my husband?" she asked Venkata as she handed him a glass of water.
"No, didn't he come yet?"
Before Radhika could utter a word, Bhadra, in the guise of Raman, stepped foot into the house. Bhairav felt a tingling sensation in his throat. Bhadra had done a recce around the house and also had heard the conversation between Raman and the house members so that he could enact like Raman.
"Radhika, please get me a glass of water," Bhadra said.
"Why are you so late today?" Radhika asked.
"I was in the temple for some time. So, it got late. You are next."
"What next?" Radhika looked nonplussed.
"I mean, we both shall go to the temple tomorrow to seek Bhairav's blessings."
Bhadra conspired to kill Raman's wife next.

A rooster's crowing showed the arrival of a new morning as the villagers woke up to resume their day-to-day duties. Bhadra and Radhika got themselves ready to go to Lord Bhairav's temple. As usual, Bhairav and his wife were busy with their prayers. Bhadra and Radhika walked past their house into the streets. Bhadra had asked his henchmen to be ready at the same spot behind the trees, which was a way to the temple.
"How are you, Radhika?" he asked.
Radhika looked surprised. "Why are you behaving weird since yesterday?"
"Nothing like that," he tried to justify.
Radhika just nodded her head, but from inside she wondered why her husband was behaving differently.
"Your mother is the reason for your good upbringing. You don't even look at people while walking."
"Where is my mother now?" she asked curiously to know his response.
"Where she will be? She is at her home."
Radhika looked flabbergasted by his response. "Don't you know she is already dead?"
Bhadra did not utter a word. He took some time before breaking into a laughter. "I was just joking, my dear."
Radhika's suspicion gathered wings. "I don't think you are my husband. Who are you?"
By this time, they had passed the tea shop. Sensing the opportunity, he cued his henchmen to arrive at the spot.
"I am a monster," his voice changed, taking her aback.
Out of nowhere, she was dragged by some men who gagged her first to muffle her screams. She was taken to a forest.
"I am not your husband. I have already killed your beloved husband in the same spot. Now, it is your turn."
Radhika couldn't grapple with the bitter reality as she broke into tears. She folded her hands and begged them to release her from their grasp, but to no avail.
"Your family will burn in agony."
Bhadra resorted to black magic before being possessed by evil Manjappa. Radhika's heart slipped a beat as she saw a possessed man dancing. He pounced on Radhika and bit her throat brutally with his face covered in blood. Radhika, too, joined her husband on the list of Bhadra's victims.

Bhadra, in the guise of Raman, went back to the house with his face washed away by sadness. He slumped on a chair with his weary eyes and exhausted face. He even had some bruises on his face and body so that he could spin a different tale. He gazed at a same point to ensure some drops of tears rolls down his cheeks. It surprised everyone in the house to see him in shock.
"What happened, Raman? Why do you look so disturbed? I see bruises on your face," Venkata asked.
He broke into crocodile tears. "Some men kidnapped Radhika on our way to the temple. I tried my best to subdue them, but the numbers game got the better of me. I had lost my consciousness. Some villagers sprinkled water on me. I heard that a tiger in the forest killed my wife."
Bhairav couldn't believe his ears. "Oh, Lord Bhairav!"
"I can't bear this separation," he cried.
"This shouldn't have happened. May Lord Bhairav rest her soul in peace," Savitha prayed.
"Why your Lord Bhairav couldn't save my wife? What did she do wrong?" he asked.
"Maybe her lifespan was limited. It's so unfortunate," Venkata said.
"I won't spare those bastards who fed my wife to the tiger."
Bhairav and his wife sat against Lord Bhairav's idol and closed their eyes as they were overcome with grief. Bhadra stole a glance at Venkata, who was his next target.

The next morning, Venkata set off to his duty. Little did he know he would become a victim to Bhadra today. On his way, he heard some rasping voices from behind which compelled him to look back, but he couldn't see anyone. It continued for a while before he stumbled upon Bhadra in the guise of Raman.
"What are you doing here, Raman? You told you won't go anywhere today."
"I am not diagnosed with homesickness. Neither am I going to waste my life pondering over my wife. She is dead and gone. Poor lady. Now, it's your turn."
"What do you mean?" Venkata clearly looked astounded by his words laced with menace.
"I mean, you are bound to be my next target. Boys!!" Bhadra waved at his henchmen to kidnap Venkata.
"Who are you? You are not my brother," Venkata's words fell on deaf ears.
Venkata was dragged to the heart of the forest. As usual, Bhadra performed evil pooja to get possessed by evil Manjappa. It had now become a routine for him to kill people in the forest. Poor Venkata also met with the same fate as of Raman and his wife. Bhadra broke into a deadly laughter, completely satisfied by his evil act, but his laughter subsided since the job was half done. He still had to kill two more members of Kanakachala's family to end their family history.

The sun God had descended, taking a leave from the world as the dusk had taken over. Bhairav grew anxious as his brother Venkata had not come to home yet. Bhadra, in the guise of Raman, acted as if his wife's death disturbed him, but in reality, he was keeping a close eye on Bhairav and his wife. Bhairav did not want to trouble Raman as he himself went out in search of Venkata. He asked Raman to be there for his wife, Savitha. Seizing the opportunity, Bhadra asked his henchmen to arrive at the house. Their appearances petrified Savitha. She called Raman.
Bhadra, in the guise of Raman, broke into a wicked laughter, which further exacerbated Savitha's woes.
"What happened to you? Have you asked these men to come to our house? What are you up to?" Savitha asked.
"I thought you would be my next victim. But I am also going to kill your unborn child for free," he roared.
They kidnapped Savitha and took her to the forest. Ruthless Bhadra invoked the evil Manjappa in his body as he pounced on Savitha and killed her, thereby stopping the birth of a new child. Bhairav had searched nook and corner of the village but couldn't find Venkata. He then marched into the forest and into the dense foliage. As he scampered into the heart of the jungle, he could hear a terrifying roar. He sneaked through the bushes to see Raman dancing in joy while his pregnant wife met with a horrible death. Bhairav couldn't believe his eyes, unable to come to terms with the reality. He quickly arrived at the scene with tears streaming down his cheeks, unable to see the dead body of his wife.
"Who are you?" he fumed.
"Wow! Your Lord Bhairav has sent you to me so that I can kill you just like I have killed everyone in your family," Bhadra laughed hysterically.
"I don't have to come up with a plan to drag you here. Neither do I have to cook up any stories to cover up my evil acts. Let me invoke evil Manjappa and nip your family in the bud."
Bhadra also revealed the truth, which shook Bhairav to the core. Bhadra's henchmen caught hold of him. Bhadra got possessed by evil Manjappa.
"Om Bhairavaya Namaha! Om Bhairavaya Namaha!" Bhairav intoned.
"Your Bhairav can do nothing. He will never come to save you. He doesn't even exist in the first place," Bhadra looked overjoyed.
They heard a roar of a tiger. Thunderstorm accompanied by lighting struck the forest. A tremendous wind blew hard, picking up the dust.
"Om Bhairavaya Namaha! Om Bhairavaya Namaha!" Bhairav indeed got possessed by the Lord himself.
His body shook convulsively as it came into contact with higher vibrations, thereby kicking Bhadra's henchmen in one shot. Bhairav's body vibrated in fury, which surprised the evil Manjappa.
"When you commit a lot of sins and when that crosses the limit, I will come to destroy you," Lord Bhairav in Bhairav's body said with the voice booming.
"You have killed innocent people. You have killed a pregnant lady who is my devotee. And now you want to kill Bhairav, who has dedicated all his life to me. I won't let that happen," Bhairav eyes widened.
Bhadra and Bhairav confronted each other. A demon vs. the divine.
Bhadra swung a blow but Bhairav ducked brilliantly before delivering a blow on his face. Bhairav delivered another deadly blow onto his cheeks before pouncing on him and tearing him apart. His henchmen tried to run away, but a tiger tore them into shreds. The tiger bowed its head to the Lord as the God left Bhairav's body. Bhairav got jolted back to reality as the tiger retreated away. He folded his hands into a namaste to send his gratitude to Lord Bhairav, who had materialized at the right time to save him from evil forces.
"Om Bhairavaya Namaha, Om, Bhairavaya Namaha," he intoned.