Circa British Rule in India, Satyapriya Archarya lives a modest yet noble lifestyle with his grandfather, Satyasharan. His mother passed away while he was very young, and his dad became a celibate and went off on a pilgrimage, never to return. Satyapriya studies Engineering, and becomes a close friend of fellow-collegian, Narendra Sharma. India gains independence, both friends successfully obtain degrees, part ways, and Satyapriya gets employed by the United Paper Mill. He soon finds out that his employers want him to forge papers to obtain Government funds, and he resigns in protest. He also finds out that a partner of the paper mill, Kunver Vikram Singh of Bhawanigarh, had sexually molested a young woman, Ranjana, the daughter of a prostitute, and he marries her, earning the wrath of Satyasharan, who refuses to have to do anything with him. Shortly thereafter Ranjana then gives birth to Kabul.