Seyed Morteza, a pigeon fancier, lives in Kashan with his blind mother. He captures a ring-necked dove that all the local dove fanciers are after. His mother considers the dove a bad omen and asks Seyed Morteza to let it go. Meanwhile, Seyed Morteza’s uncle, Seyed Mostafa, sends him to Shiraz to propose to his fiancée, Tooba. Morteza and Tooba fall in love and get married. Morteza brings Tooba back to Kashan but tells nothing about it to his mother or his uncle. His mother discovers their relationship and, believing Morteza has betrayed them, curses him. Mostafa arrives and overhears her words...

The film progresses along two distinct but interwoven series of events. The first series involves young members of a family who have gathered round their old mother and revive their common childhood memories. the second line focuses on the old woman's preparations for her last journey and her joyous cooperation in arranging for the ceremonies that are to be observed after her death.