JustUtter 2Min Horror Stories: A Horror Book Series "Bhoota Gappa"

I grew up in a joint family in a village in southern India called Kovvur. My father and his four brothers all lived under the same roof, along with their parents and grandparents. Each of them was married and had their own children, except for my father’s youngest brother—my uncle—who worked as an independent contractor. My uncle had a habit of drinking heavily. He was an alcoholic, and despite my grandfather’s and mother’s constant efforts to make him quit, he found it extremely difficult to control himself. He worked hard during the day at construction sites and would return home in the evening, tired and withdrawn. Every night, he would sit in the courtyard outside his room with a glass of whiskey, listening to his favorite singer, Kishore Kumar. The air around him would grow heavy with a strange melancholy, as his music echoed through the house until he eventually went to sleep. Then came the day when he fell seriously ill. His condition worsened quickly, and he began c...

I went to Duduka, in the Balangir district, that summer with my grandmother to attend a wedding. The village streets felt alive, filled with the loud rhythm of drums and people dancing throughout the day. It was a typical village wedding—crowded, noisy, and full of conversations and laughter that seemed to flow endlessly without reason. I was playing with my cousins when a woman entered the house. At first, nothing about her seemed unusual. But then, she lifted a heavy bucket of water with surprising ease. The way she walked began to change—firm, almost like a man’s stride—and her voice shifted into a strange, unfamiliar accent. Soon, she started giggling uncontrollably, clapping her hands, and asking for money in a tone that didn’t feel like her own. The women of the household quickly intervened and took her inside. Later, I learned that her facial expressions had completely changed, and her voice had deepened into that of a man. A guniya was called, who performed rituals to free her ...

 An interview with the author of the Bhoota Gappa horror series, exploring Odisha superstitions, fading beliefs, and the purpose of storytelling in the age of AI. Q1. Why did you write this Special Edition on Odisha superstitions? Pratiksha:   I grew up around these beliefs. They were never just stories; they were a way of living. From my grandparents, especially my granny, to the neighborhood I visited every summer, many stories and beliefs were shared. I remember being told not to make plans and say them out loud in the evening, because someone is always listening. Odisha is a land deeply rooted in culture and memory. It has given rise to some of India’s most respected literary voices, and yet, beyond books, it carries stories that were never written down. It is home to 62 diverse tribal communities, including 13 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups, forming over 22% of the state’s population. In these communities, beliefs are not theory, they are what has build these fami...

  1. I have never encountered horror in a face-to-face manner, but have always felt someone, something unexplained, lingering in the dark. 2. I used to go to spend my summer vacations every year to Kandarpur, Cuttack, my ajja's(mother's father)  place and Buxibazaar, Cuttack, my jejebaapa's(father's father) place. 3. I don't like to watch horror so much, but I love to read horror more. 4. I lost my father in a traumatic accident in the year 2024, the last thing he told me, was to release "Bhoota Gappa". 5. I am a science student, and I believe science can be tampered to make reality suffer. In August 2024, Bhoota Gappa began quietly. There was no grand announcement. No marketing machinery. No promise of scale. Only a belief that folklore still breathes, that fear still travels through generations, and that stories whispered in childhood deserve to be written before they disappear. Today, with the soft launch of BhootaGappa.com , that belief has taken for...

  Bhoota Gappa , India’s fastest-growing indie horror folklore series, is returning this December with a massive Special Edition  a year-end bonanza featuring 50 dark folklore stories from the villages of Odisha . If you love Indian horror stories , Odisha ghost legends , and authentic village-based folklore, this anthology is going to be the biggest Bhoota Gappa release yet. Even better? YOU can be part of the book. If you or your family have a true horror story from a village in Odisha , you can submit it and get featured with full credit in this Special Edition. Why This Bhoota Gappa Special Edition Matters 50 Dark, Unheard Folklore Tales Authentic rural horror stories Ancient myths & village legends Spirits, deities, demons, curses, rituals Oral tales told by grandparents, priests, villagers, tribes Odisha is one of India’s richest storytelling regions filled with: Village ghost stories Tribal folklore Temple hauntings Riverbank spirits Ancient legends...

Order Now In Conversation with Pratiksha Misra: Folklore Behind the Fear in Bhoota Gappa 3 For horror fans and folklore lovers, October 2025 brings more than a chill in the air — it brings the release of Bhoota Gappa 3 – The Burnt Smell of Fresh Ash . We sat down with author Pratiksha Misra, founder of JustUtter , to talk about the journey from viral 2-Minute Horror Stories to a global folklore horror series. Q1. You’ve written across genres — from poetry to horror. What drew you back to folklore-driven horror for Bhoota Gappa? Pratiksha: Horror was my first love as a storyteller, not the jump-scare kind, but the quiet chill of a grandmother’s tale. Folklore is where horror began. It’s also where culture lives. With Bhoota Gappa, I wanted to capture that authentic voice before it disappeared under pop-culture tropes. Watch The Trailer Q2. Do you remember the first scary story you heard as a child? Pratiksha: I grew up in Rourkela,Odisha listening to real life encounte...

In Odisha there was a ranch that I know about since my childhood and that was the one at my ajja's place in Kandarpur. He used to tend his cows in a stable made of mud pillars. The stable had two rooms one was used as a smoke room or office room with his chair and table but mostly he used to smoke in there and the other one was the room where cows were tied up and had cow dunk filled all over the place. That room had a door that was wider, to use the cows ro take outside close to the garden during morning hours. There was a window attached to the smoke room, which opened to a wall or the neighbor's house and couple of coconut trees were adjacent to it. But even if you are sitting in the broad day light, you will get a certain eeriness coming from that window as though someone is looking at you when you are sitting on the chair or hiding inside the huge old bed with lot of compartments under it. That was my favorite hideout place as we spent most of our summer days in that ranch...

  Now that the 2 out of my 7 books of "JustUtter Horror Series" - "Bhoota Gappa" is out live, I want to again invite enthusiastic writers and readers to share a "Bhoota Gappa" (Ghost/Horror Story) and get a chance to be part of this exciting horror series just like before.  1.DM me or email your story at "misrapratiksha@gmail.com" with subject as "Bhoota Gappa" 2. If your story gets picked up for my next "Bhoota Gappa" edition you get to choose a free book from the author and share your name and  address so that I can ship it over. 3. If your story gets picked you will get an Official  "JustUtter Writer" badge and will be contactes for further contribution of your writing collab with "JustUtter Books". 5 Ways To Write A "Bhoota Gappa"  And Send It My Way: 1. Have you heard a story or incident from your grandparents,parents, friends, relatives from your native land or community? 2. Have...

I was 11 years old when this alarming incident happened. I was living in Rourkela ( Industrial City Of Steel) in the year 1995 when my final exams of seventh standard were over, and summer vacations had begun. My dad as he used to be friends with lot of buses that used to go to my native place Pattamundai, Odisha at night, decided to send me before hand with one of his trustworthy drivers and then join me later on. As my uncles will come and pick me up from the destination he knew I was in good hands. So the journey began and I happened to sit close to the window seat right next to the driver's seat. We were chit chatting all night with the driver's friends and passengers onboarding the bus. Suddenly at the middle of the night an old woman tapped at my window when most of the crowd was sound asleep just the driver was focusing on the drive. I looked at her as she was making gestures to give her something to eat. I didn't have anything so I asked my uncle who was sitting ne...

I am an old woman. Post-retirement, I thought I would be happier, but things grew darker. My workplace asked me to return part-time, which I didn’t mind. One night, as I slowly made my way to the parking lot of the old motel where I was staying—too tired to drive the two hours home—I saw something strange in the rearview mirror. A pale, blurry creature appeared, animal-like, with three legs and an abnormally large head. Its eyes locked with mine, unblinking. I couldn’t place it—maybe a raccoon or a strange rodent? I parked and began walking to the entrance, sensing someone—or something—trailing me. Too exhausted, I ignored it. Then, a sudden gust of icy wind slammed through me, knocking me flat onto the pavement. I was dazed. It felt like the creature had entered me—or passed through me—leaving an unnatural chill behind. Shivering, I scrambled to gather my things and rushed inside. Just then, another traveler approached. He had witnessed my fall while smoking outside. He said something...

I love nightlife, walking down the streets with friends, giggling while holding each other’s hands. Dressed up like a party slayer with black eyeshadow, blue mascara, and green eyelashes. The other night, we all had plans, and as usual, I was on the sidewalk, returning from a nightclub where we had danced like crazy. In the parking lot, I was waiting for my friend to get the car keys that she had misplaced in one of the bathrooms. Being tired, I had zoned out and suddenly found myself in a nightclub where loud music was taking me into a trance, making me feel like I was flying while doing hip-hop moves, swinging and flexing my leg muscles. Just then, the club went darker than usual, smoke filled the air, and a burnt man with boiling flesh on his face appeared. I hopped in horror and crashed into another girl, who kept screaming as she burned. I started running toward the nearest exit and found a pile of burned bodies before losing control and falling. My friend pulled me into the car, ...

I was probably around 13 years old when I went to one of my aunt's houses in Aali Tehsil,Kendrapada with my niece to spend my summer holidays. I had planned to stay for 2-3 days but ended up staying for a week. Believe me, I was unable to sleep for those seven days. My niece is three years younger than me. My aunt is a widow and has three daughters. One of her daughters was married and wasn’t there. The moment I stepped into their house, I could sense some strange energy and immediately wanted to leave. However, with all the day's events and conversations with my cousins, time flew by, and things started to feel normal. At night, all of us slept in the same big room, and I was right in the middle. In front of the bed was a window with a clear view of their front yard and the neighbor's house. I usually stay up later than others, so at around 2 a.m., I heard a voice—it sounded like a bird or a child calling out someone's name. It seemed to come from the yard, so I got up...

Order Now   " Bhoota Gappa- Part 1 " : Watch The Trailer!! " Bhoota Gappa- Part 2 " :  Watch The Trailer!! Tell us more about the success of Bhoota Gappa?   Sure, the first part was a huge success, I am grateful to all my supporters of JustUtter community, my Odia community across the globe for such warm response. Around 200 copies have been sold at a global level and it has won the heart of millions of young horror lovers by being the best seller in recent "World Book Fair"held on Pragati Maidan, New Delhi as well as the "Goa Book Fair" via  Notion Press and Kharido Becho Shopping.   I am really grateful of this success of bringing the young and older  mass to again be excited of book reading after so long. WOW that's amazing, So What is Part 2 all about? "Bhoota Gappa Part 2" is an extended version of the first part, where the story of Azagka and her siblings continue to be more and more intertwined between parallel wo...

    A mansion, opulent and imposing, now stood where generations of homes had risen and crumbled. Beneath its foundations lay the ghosts of lives lived, a tapestry of joy and, more often, the jagged edges of tragedy. Each brick whispered stories of previous inhabitants, their laughter echoing in the empty halls, their tears staining the very mortar. Death, a constant companion, had stalked these grounds for centuries. One such tale clung to the newly erected walls, the story of a teenage girl visiting her uncle for his housewarming. Her own home, a humble cottage near the fish-filled pond in Jagatsinghpur, Odisha, felt a world away from this sprawling edifice. In her village, an ancient belief persisted: no one should sleep alone in a new house until cleansing rituals had been performed, banishing any lingering spirits trapped within its walls. This new house, however, was smaller than her uncle’s previous residence, and her aunt, overwhelmed by the prospect of hosting n...

ଓଡ଼ିଶାର ଜଟାନୀରେ ଥିବା ମୋ ବନ୍ଧୁଙ୍କ ଘରୁ ଫେରିବା ସମଯ଼ରେ ମୁଁ ରାସ୍ତା ହରାଇଥିଲି। ମୁଁ ମୋ ସାଇକେଲ୍ ଚଳାଇ ଏକ କମ୍ ରକ୍ଷଣାବେକ୍ଷଣ, କାଦୁଅ ରାସ୍ତା ନେଇଥିଲି। ମୁଁ ଦୂରରେ ଏକ ପୁରୁଣା, ଲମ୍ବା ବଟବୃକ୍ଷ ଦେଖିପାରିଲି। ଯେତେବେଳେ ମୁଁ ପାଖରେ ପହଞ୍ଚିଲି, ମୁଁ ଦେଖିଲି ଯେ ଏକ ଖାଲି ଲୁପ୍ ସହିତ ଏକ ଦଉଡ଼ି ଝୁଲୁଛି, ଜୋରରେ ଝୁଲୁଛି ଯେପରି କେହି ଏହାକୁ ନିକଟରେ ବ୍ଯ଼ବହାର କରୁଛନ୍ତି | ଗଛର ଶାଖାଗୁଡ଼ିକ ବହୁତ ମୋଟା ଏବଂ ବୁଦାଳିଆ ଥିଲା | ସୂର୍ଯ୍ଯ଼ାସ୍ତ ପାଖେଇ ଆସୁଥିବା ବେଳେ ଅନ୍ଧାର ମୋ ଆଖିରେ କୌଶଳ ଖେଳିଲା। ମୁଁ ବେଳେବେଳେ ଭାବୁଥିଲି ଯେ ମୁଁ ଶାଖାଗୁଡ଼ିକରେ ମୁହଁ ଦେଖୁଛି, କିନ୍ତୁ ସେଗୁଡ଼ିକୁ ଆଲୋକ ଦ୍ୱାରା ସୃଷ୍ଟି ହୋଇଥିବା ଭ୍ରମ ବୋଲି ପ୍ରତ୍ଯ଼ାଖ୍ଯ଼ାନ କଲି। ହଠାତ୍, ମୁଁ ଅନୁଭବ କଲି ଯେ କେହି ମୋତେ ପଛରୁ ଧରୁଛି। ମୁଁ କାହାକୁ ଦେଖିପାରିଲି ନାହିଁ, କିନ୍ତୁ ଅନୁଭବଟି ବାସ୍ତବ ଥିଲା। ମୁଁ ପବିତ୍ର ମନ୍ତ୍ର ଜପ କରିବା ଆରମ୍ଭ କଲି ଏବଂ ଗତି ବଢ଼େଇଲି। ଯେତେବେଳେ ମୁଁ ପଛକୁ ଚାହିଁଲି, ମୁଁ ଦେଖିଲି କେହି ଜଣେ ଦଉଡ଼ିରେ ଝୁଲୁଛନ୍ତି, ସେମାନଙ୍କର କେଶ ସାଧାରଣ ଅପେକ୍ଷା ଲମ୍ବା, ସିଧାସଳଖ ମୋ ଆଡ଼କୁ ଚାହିଁ ରହିଛନ୍ତି। ଭଯ଼ଭୀତ ହୋଇ ମୁଁ ନିଯ଼ନ୍ତ୍ରଣ ହରାଇ ଦୌଡ଼ିବା ଆରମ୍ଭ କଲି। ମୁଁ ଦେଖିଲି ଜଣେ ବ୍ଯ଼କ୍ତି ଏକ କଳା ଶାଲ ଓଢ଼ୀକୀରି ଠିଆ ହୋଇ ମୋତେ ହାଥ ହଲେଇକି ଡାକୁଚୀ, ଜେମେତି ମୁଁ ପାଖକୁ ଗଲି ଅନୁଭବ କଲି ...

It was the witching hour, 1:00 am, in Raghurajpur, a village famed for the art of pattachitra, when my grandma, along with a fellow villager, embarked on a bone-chilling journey. Their destination: the Kali Puja nearby, but their path, a shortcut through the jungle, was shrouded in an inky blackness, pierced only by their flickering oil lamp. The air hung heavy, thick with the cloying scent of decay and the unsettling silence broken only by the occasional rustle in the unseen undergrowth. Looming ahead, a dilapidated palace, a skeletal silhouette against the starless sky, whispered of a bygone era of opulence. It was here, amidst the crumbling grandeur, that they spotted a flicker of light in the distance. Relief washed over them – perhaps other devotees on their way to the puja. But as they drew closer, a surge of primal terror coursed through their veins. The light emanated not from a fellow pilgrim, but from a creature of nightmare. A monstrous entity, a giant fireball with no eyes,...

The train from Shillong to Kolkata was agonizingly late. Our two families, eight souls in total, including me at thirteen, were crammed into a single taxi at midnight. The driver, a greasy, sweating figure, insisted I move closer. Then, his hand clamped over mine, forcing it onto his damp, fleshy thigh. A slick, repulsive substance oozed beneath my fingers. Bile rose in my throat. I was being violated, exposed in front of my own family, trapped in the suffocating confines of the taxi. As soon as the taxi lurched to a halt, I scrambled into the backseat, my body shaking uncontrollably. Sleep offered no escape. A shadow of shame clung to me, a constant, sickening presence. Then, a ghastly blue light pulsed from the electrical outlet in the room where I lay, shivering beneath a thin sheet. My legs turned to ice. The driver's voice, thick and leering, slithered through the air. I stumbled to the door and opened it. He stood bathed in the eerie blue glow, his eyes fixed on me, a predato...