The story revolves around the underlying rivalry between two families — the Chatterjees, aristocrats now on the decline (Biprodas) and the Ghosals (Madhusudan), representing new money and arrogance.
She was brought up in a sheltered home where she had followed the traditional way of life and observed all the religious rituals like all the other womenfolk in the family.
Even if brought up to be a good, submissive wife, she balks at the idea of sharing the conjugal bed.
His natural vulgarity, the coarseness of his speech, his arrogant discourtesy, the uncouthness of his body and mind that so deeply characterised his life: all this was something from which Kumu's whole being shrank every moment."
But a time finally comes when Kumu cannot take it anymore and she returns to her brother's house, only to realise that she is pregnant.