Tammanna is the protagonist in the story and he tells the story of the rivalry between himself and Basavaiah. Tammanna was a farmer, had ten acres of land, a comfortable house and people too ready to carry out his orders. Besides, he also had a rival. It was Basavaiah. Tammanna did not perceive Basavaiah as his rival initially. Tammanna led a normal life and became prosperous gradually and came to possess 1000 acres of land. Until some point whatever Basavaiah did to keep himself on par with Tammanna was seen as healthy competition.

But, one day, Basavaiah asks Tammanna to sell him two hundred acres of his land and Tammanna refuses. Basavaiah takes the land forcibly. Though there were various options available for getting his land back, Tammanna searches for a method that could annihilate Basavaiah completely. Instead of proving might is right or seeking justice from the court of law, Tammanna uses a different strategy. He composes and sings ballads about Basavaiah’s meanness and cruelty. Very soon Tammanna becomes very popular and Basavaiah has no answer to his brainy ideas.

Just when Basavaiah is contemplating what to do next to spite Tammanna, he comes to know that Tammanna is ill. Basavaiah is pleased with the news. But their rivalry does not end there. Tammanna decides to out beat him by manipulating the situation itself. He gives up everything and goes away to Chennarayapatna so as to spread the news that Tammanna is dead. Later Basavaiah dies a natural death. Though there is no cause-effect relationship between the rumour of Tammanna’s death and Basavaiah’s real death, Tammanna is shaken out of his senses. With the death of Basavaiah, Tammanna loses his identity and he becomes a non-entity.