Karuththamma

Mokkatha (Vani), a wife of Mokkaiyan (Periyar Dasan), a farmer in Pottalpetti village, is in labour. They already have two daughters and are keen to have a son; two daughters born earlier were killed soon after birth by feeding them with poisonous cactus extract. Unable to pay hefty dowries for their daughters' marriages, the villagers consider female infanticide to be acceptable. A new school teacher (R. Sundarrajan (director)) feels sad on learning about this heinous practice. When Mokkatha delivers a girl again, Mokkaiyan orders the village midwife (S. N. Lakshmi) to kill the baby. The midwife sadly tries to feed the cactus extract to the baby at a secluded place. The school teacher notices, meets her and requests to handover the infant so that he can bring up her. She hands over and he moves away from the village with the child.