Kumaran, a hard working but easily aggrieved and very righteous man, is in love with his first cousin Ponni. Ponni works a very leisurely and laid back job in a grand mansion. Ponni's younger sibling Kamatchi is fond of Kumaran, but he doesn't take her seriously. Vishwanathan, the father of Ponni and Kamatchi, plans to get Kumaran and Ponni married. Ponni reluctantly marries Kumaran. A daughter (Meena) is born after a year. Ponni starts to detest Kumaran because of her new-found tasks. Later, her previous employer dies of old age. Ponni visits his son (who is also unhappily married) after the funeral. They both converse about their supposedly miserable lives and decide to elope. After Ponni runs away, her family disowns her and gets Kamatchi to marry Kumaran. The initially reluctant Kumaran is convinced by his father in law and marries Kamatchi. The pair bond over time and live in contentment with the child. Ponni realises her blunder after a few weeks. Disgusted with herself, she leaves the eloped partner, remaining faithful to Kumaran by not engaging in any debauchery with her partner. He confers her a small house near the village, where she spends the rest of her life. She meets her daughter, but her sister disgusted with Ponni, orders the child not to meet her ever again. Kumaran comes to learn about her faithfulness and visits Ponni on her death bed. She dies by Kumaran's side after reminiscing about her life. Kumaran is warned by his father-in-law that he will be banished from the village if takes part in her funeral. Kumaran defies him and performs the last rites for Ponni along with their daughter and Kamatchi.