Childhood sweethearts Gopi and Kishen hope to get married when they are grown up. Gopi dances to the magical tunes of Kishen's clarinet (shenai), and both are virtually inseparable. Years pass by, both have grown up and Gopi's mom, Jamuna, would like Gopi to get married to a young man from Lucknow, by the name of Shekhar, who works for All India Radio. Shekhar visits them, meets Gopi, and approves of this marriage, and asks Jamuna to finalize a day for the marriage. When this news reaches Gopi and Kishen both are heartbroken, as much as Kishen would like to marry Gopi he knows that he is unemployed and poor, and hence not considered a good suitor. Additionally, his mentor and guardian, Raghunath, would like him to marry his daughter, Ramkali, and may ask him to make the ultimate sacrifice by demanding this as his guru-dakshina (teacher's fee). Then the villagers ask Kishen to leave the town as he has brought shame on them all by continuing to meet with Gopi...