The story happens in around early forties. A young freedom fighter Shivaramu, lost in jungle while he travels to a place near subramanya, meets two villagers called Deranna and Bhatya. They advice Shivaramu to stay in the house of Gopalayya, a Brahmin living with his wife Shankaramma in Kelabailu. The couple treats Shivaramu well and asks him to stay for couple of more days. They express that their son Shambhu had left them years back. They treat Shivaramu as their own son. During the stay, Gopalayya narrates the story of his past. Recalls his hardworking days of making a beautiful crop field beside mountain. Shivaramu slowly gets clear introduction to the legendary personality of Gopalayya. Shivaramu gets more curious at his attitude of fighting against nature to build his dreams in a place called Katumule.