In a nation crippled with poverty and crime, young Saraswatichandra is brought up by his rather cruel step-mother, and eventually decides to shun materialistic life. Hoping to get him to change his mind, his father arranges his marriage with Kumud Sundari, but he remains adamant. When Kumud comes to know, she writes to him, they exchange letters, he comes to meet her and both fall deeply in love with each other. He returns home, makes preparation for the wedding but his step-mother instigates his father against him, compelling him to forsake everything, and writes to Kumud's family accordingly. He changes his mind and goes to meet with Kumud but finds she is now married to Pramadh. A tearful Kumud re-locates to live with her husband and her family, but finds her husband unsophisticated, uneducated, alcoholic and womanizer who frequents brothels. Then Saraswatichandra re-enters her life when he gets employed by her in-laws under the name of Navinchandra. He notices her silent anguish but is unable to do anything while she decides to destroy all evidence of her involvement with him. Things change drastically for her when a maid, Padma, who is having an affair with her husband, comes across evidence of her involvement with Saraswatichandra.