The film is based on a love affair between Kannagi, and Kovalan in the Tamil epic Silappatikaram. More than 2000 years ago, South India was divided into three Tamil kingdoms named as Chola, Pandya and Chera. Heroine of the story is Kannagi who was born in the city of Kaveri Patuna in Chola Kingdom. She was married to a rich Barron named Kovalan. They lived a beautiful long married life. Meanwhile, the ceremony of appointing Madhawi as the princess in the Chola kingdom was held at this duration. Kovalan was also invited to the ceremony among the VIPs. After the appointment of Madhavi as the princess of the actresses by the king, he gave an authority to her which was she can choose anyone as her husband among the VIPs. Impressing of all the participants, Madhavi chose Kovalan as her husband. Kovalan also began to like on Madhavi because of her beautiful appearance and the dance. Due to this incident, the beautiful married life between Kannagi and Kovalan had been broken. Kōvalan he spends all his wealth on Madhavi. Kannagi is all wept and mourned endure. After losing the husband, Kannagi gets abuse suggestions from Chola Youngsters. Father of Kovalan also says to Kannagi to get married But she had been committed in the name of kōvalan and live alone. Because of the profession, Madhavi had to entertain the VIPs who come for her. Her actions cannot be sit well by Kovalan. Because of these reasons, disputes had been created among them and Kovalan leaves Madhavi for Kannagi. Awaited date of Kannagi has come and she welcomes Kovalan with a warm heart. But now they are poor because all the wealth is given to Madhavi. After all they only have golden anklets of Kannagi which is valuable and they are subjected to sight of the people in Kaveri Patuna City. They run away from Chola kingdom to Pandya kingdom with the intention of live freely there with the selling of golden anklets of Kannagi. They escaped secretly without knowing others but except Madhavi. She waits for them on the way of them with her hostess. There they got to know that Madhawi is pregnant because of Kovalan. Because of this incident, Kannagi requests Kovalan to go back for her but Kovalan refuse the request. At last, Kovalan and Kannagi leaves to Pandi kingdom while Madhavi leaves back for her home. With the time, Madhavi gets a daughter named Manimekala. With the hearing of the story of her father and mother when she is get to young age, she becomes dissatisfied on the normal living life. Due to this reason, she refuses the marriage proposal of son of Chola king. In this duration, she becomes a devotee of Buddhism after hearing the sermon of Buddhist monk in Chola kingdom. But the prince of Chola kingdom is always after her. On one such unfortunate moment, he killed by Manimekala and she got the command to vacate the kingdom. Kovalan gets various news about Manimekala. But he repented dawned that he couldn't be seen her on his life. Kovalan and Kannagi lived far without selling the anklet but now they got to know that they couldn't resist their life without selling it. Kovalan determined to sell one anklet and keep one anklet with Kannagi and he leaves to the capital Madurapuraya of Pandi kingdom. Meanwhile, he approaches Madhurapuraya, the anklet of the queen of Pandya kingdom has been stolen. This incident is stated by the king and demand a prize to person who brings the queen's anklet back. Kovalan had to meet the royal goldsmith to sell his anklet. Mischief royal goldsmith brings the news to king stating that he captured the thief who stolen the queen's anklet. King command some soldiers to capture Kovalan and as they will return their not to touch the royal anklet. Kovalan has been captured and killed by the soldiers. Meanwhile, Kannagi comes to Madhurapuraya to find his lost husband from few days and she got to know that Kovalan is killed in near aside the Hindu fane and she returns to their. When she returns there, king and queen is in happy that they got their anklet. But Kannagi proves that the anklet is not the queen's but hers and she cursed them. In that time a spark of fore comes from the sky and killed the royals and the whole city by it. After all, Kannagi becomes a holy belief and she get homage by the people.
