When Tammanna came to know that the rivalry between him and Basavaiah had reached a peak and that two hundred acres of his land had been forcibly taken away from him and had been even fenced up, Tammanna hit on a plan of annihilating Basavaiah completely. He got all his bitter experiences with Basavaiah composed in the form of ballads and started singing them before the people, announcing to everyone Basavaiah’s cruelty and his meanness. This way his reputation as an artist started spreading fast and critics and scholars of folklore thronged him and translated his songs.

As days rolled by, Tammanna’s popularity increased, and Basavaiah began to shrink in humiliation. Basavaiah tried to undo the damage to his self-esteem by showing more interest in acquiring all kinds of material wealth. He got a palatial mansion built for himself. Then he bedecked himself with gold, diamonds, and other precious stones. Then he started inviting scholars, poets and musicians to his place and tried to invest his home with meaning. However, one-day Tammanna suddenly took ill. This news cheered up Basavaiah’s spirits. Tammanna’s disease became Basavaiah’s health. Tammanna thought of yet another method of punishing Basavaiah.

As days rolled by, Tammanna’s popularity increased, and Basavaiah began to shrink in humiliation. Basavaiah tried to undo the damage to his self-esteem by showing more interest in acquiring all kinds of material wealth. He got a palatial mansion built for himself. Then he bedecked himself with gold, diamonds, and other precious stones. Then he started inviting scholars, poets and musicians to his place and tried to invest his home with meaning. However, one-day Tammanna suddenly took ill. This news cheered up Basavaiah’s spirits. Tammanna’s disease became Basavaiah’s health. Tammanna thought of yet another method of punishing Basavaiah.

Tammanna thought Basavaiah could no longer compete with him if he came to know that Tammanna had died. Therefore, Tammanna avenged himself by leaving his town, abandoning all his property and walking away hundreds of miles. When Basavaiah came to know that Tammanna was not there in the village, he had no more reason to live and he passed away.