A journey through the life of an aged Bengali poet, Shashibhushan. Shashbhushan, now blind, reflects on his past. Stimulated by sounds - songs, crows, traffic, and an electronic lighter - he recalls the now-vanished arts and literature scene of post independence Calcutta. The old man lives in a crumbling aristocratic mansion in the heart of town, which he shares with his teacher's daughter, Sarama, and her young son Shumon. During a vacation in the country another man enters their lives. Gangan was born blind and is a talented singer. Gangan and Sarama engage in a secret affair as Shashibhushan recalls his own wife, who he lost because of his uncontrollable sexual appetite.