Vamsha Vriksha

In 1924, in Nanjangud, Kathyayani refuses to wear the traditional widow's garb after Nanjunda Shrothri's drowning. Her stern mother-in-law pressures her, while Shrothri quietly encourages her to pursue an education. This stance marks the beginning of a path toward independence that challenges social norms.

Encouraged by Shrothri, she enrolls in a BA program at the local university. She navigates social expectations and the realities of widowhood as she begins her studies. This decision widens her world beyond household duties.

At the university campus, Kathyayani meets Raja Rao, a professor who runs a Dramatics Club. An immediate spark grows into romance that challenges conventional roles. Their relationship becomes entangled with Rao's scholarly ambitions and marital ties.

Sadashiva Rao embarks on a five-volume work charting Indian cultural history, funded by Shrothri and the Mysore Maharaja. He travels across libraries, monuments, and archives, with a stop at Ajanta that rekindles his passion. The project dominates his life and fuels the central arc of the story.

Karunaratne, a Sinhalese historian from Cambridge, accepts Rao's invitation to study at his university and becomes his research assistant. Their professional kinship deepens into a personal bond. Rao's marriage to Nagalakshmi remains intact as these relationships unfold.

Rao contemplates a bigamous life to formalize his bond with Ratne and presents Nagalakshmi with a painful choice. Ratne agrees to marry Rao, while Nagalakshmi remains a dutiful wife. The arrangement fractures the emotional core of the household.

Kathyayani consents to a second marriage and departs the Shrothri household, leaving with nothing but the clothes on her back. The departure shocks the family and tests Shrothri's equanimity. It marks a turning point for both families and for Kathyayani's autonomy.

Nagalakshmi seeks solace in religious practice while the elder Shrothris shoulder the burden of domestic life. The family endures the death of their son and the estrangement of Kathyayani's relatives. Rao continues his scholarly pursuit despite mounting personal costs.

Kathyayani endures three miscarriages and begins to wonder if her fate is a verdict on her choices. The experience strains her health, even as Rao's health deteriorates under the weight of his work. The couple's relationship becomes increasingly strained by circumstance.

Kathyayani unexpectedly encounters her grown son in her English class, learning that both of his parents are dead. The discovery wounds her deeply and reshapes her sense of family. The moment heightens the emotional toll on her health as Rao's condition worsens.

Bhagirathamma's death and the mounting losses prompt Shrothri to take sanyasa and distribute his wealth to the needy. His grandson Cheeni supports this renunciation, signaling a shift away from material inheritance. The family confronts the fragility of legacy.

Shrothri uncovers a letter accusing his father of illicit birth, suggesting a fabrication to secure inheritance. The revelation shakes him to his core and accelerates his path toward renunciation. He relinquishes wealth and redirects it to those in need.

Sadashiva Rao returns to live under one roof with both wives, seeking reconciliation. Within a day of finding some peace, he dies after completing his magnum opus. Ratne returns to Ceylon, carrying the weight of Rao's legacy.

Shrothri leaves for sanyasa and visits Kathyayani one last time. She is pale and frail, awaiting the end of her life. He learns Nagalakshmi's aunt was connected to the family history, tying together the clan's tangled past.

Kathyayani dies while Shrothri guides the family through loss and memory. Cheeni arrives as his mother passes away, and Nagalakshmi's aunt's lineage revelation echoes through the ritual. Ratne prepares to return home as the last rites unfold.