Who is the author of The Covenant of Water?

The author of The Covenant of Water is Abraham Verghese.

Biography & Memoir

The Covenant of Water Book Summary - The Covenant of Water Book explained in key points

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The Covenant of Water summary

Name: The Covenant of Water
Rating: 4.4 (23 reviews)
Author: Abraham Verghese

Abraham Verghese

A Spellbinding Tale of Life, Loss, and Faith in Vibrant Kerala

4.4 (23 ratings)

22 mins

Brief summary

The Covenant of Water traces the journey of a South Indian family across three generations, exploring themes of faith, love, and resilience. Verghese weaves a narrative that vividly captures the essence of India's cultural tapestry.

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Culture Social Philosophy Spirituality Autobiographies Memoirs Christianity

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The Covenant of Water
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What’s in it for me? A family epic spanning 77 years of Indian history.

In twentieth century South India, the family of matriarch Big Ammachi suffers under an ancient curse: in every generation, at least one family member dies by drowning.

Spanning 77 years of monumental historical change, this Blink chronicles the family’s triumphs and hardships across three generations. With lyrical prose and emotional depth, it deals with themes such as arranged marriage, medical progress, and India’s struggle for independence.

Much more than a family saga, this story explores timeless themes of love, loss, and perseverance in the face of hardship. Ultimately, it shows how all things are connected – from the intricate waterways that give and take life, to the bonds between husbands and wives, parents and children.

Big Ammachi, the child bride

The story opens in 1900 in South India. An unnamed 12-year-old girl has been arranged to marry a 40-year-old widower with a young son. On her wedding day, the frightened girl finds some solace in her Christian religion but struggles to leave behind her childhood home and memories of her beloved late father. After an emotional wedding ceremony, she travels to her new marital home, Parambil Estate.

There, the shy young bride slowly adjusts to her new domestic duties. She’s lonely and isolated at first, yearning for her mother and to attend church services. But guided by the kind cook Thankamma, she begins to adapt to her new marital role.

Her much older husband is initially distant and preoccupied with labor on the land. But after several years, a gentle intimacy develops between them. He begins to understand his wife’s needs, gifting her gold earrings and allowing her to attend church. The girl also forms a maternal bond with the man’s son, JoJo. Like his father, the young boy has an irrational dislike of water, preferring to climb trees instead. JoJo gives his stepmother the playful name she’ll become known as: Big Ammachi.

By 1908, Big Ammachi’s family has grown. Her mother now lives with them at Parambil, and Big Ammachi has given birth to a daughter, Baby Mol. But soon, tragedy strikes. JoJo drowns in a ditch on the property, and the family is overwhelmed by grief.

In the wake of the tragedy, Big Ammachi’s husband Big Appachen reveals a long-held family secret: the men of Parambil seem cursed to die by drowning. At first, Ammachi is angry at her husband for hiding this knowledge. But she finds solace in the thought that her husband’s family tree will preserve the memory of her stepson. Defiant, she challenges God to end the curse.

ANALYSIS

The story begins with a cruel reality for many young girls in South India at the time – an arranged marriage, meant to enhance people’s standings in a rigid caste system. Big Ammachi’s mother tells her that the wedding is “the saddest day” in a young woman’s life. Indeed, Ammachi struggles to adjust to her new reality. But she relies on her Christian faith for comfort, eventually settling into her role as the matriarch of Parambil. The tragic drowning of her stepson JoJo threatens to derail this newfound sense of stability. But Big Ammachi trusts in her devotion to God and her family.

Digby, the surgeon

In 1933, young doctor Digby Kilgour travels from Glasgow, Scotland, to Madras, India, to begin a new life. On the train journey, he befriends fellow passenger Banerjee, an Indian lawyer returning home from his studies in London.

Digby tells him of the discrimination Catholics face in Scotland. Banerjee sympathizes, likening it to the Indian caste system. Later, Digby observes a British customs official threatening Banerjee. He realizes then how much Indians suffer under British occupation.

Philipose, the non-swimmer

Back in Parambil, matriarch Big Ammachi struggles to regain her rhythm in life after her stepson’s drowning. She finds some solace in cultivating her gardens and nurturing her baby daughter Mol.

But Baby Mol is developing too slowly. The family travels to a bigger city to meet with renowned Swedish doctor Rune Orqvist. Orqvist determines Mol has an incurable thyroid condition called cretinism and will remain childlike her whole life. He also diagnoses Ammachi’s mother with advanced terminal cancer. Though devastated by the prognosis for her daughter and mother, Big Ammachi feels gratitude for Rune’s kindness and wisdom.

Paths converge

After the house fire kills his lover Celeste, surgeon Digby is left with severe burns and overwhelming guilt. He retreats to the estate of friends to recover. There, he meets Dr. Orqvist Rune, the doctor who previously treated Ammachi’s baby daughter. A leprosy specialist at nearby Saint Bridget’s Leprosarium, Rune helps treat Digby’s wounds using skin grafting techniques.

With Rune’s support and wisdom, Digby also heals emotionally. A meaningful friendship forms between the two men. Digby also meets Elsie, a beautiful young girl who does art therapy with him.

Elsie, the grieving mother

On the train back home from college, Philipose meets Elsie, the beautiful art therapist. Soon after, Philipose asks a marriage broker to arrange a marriage between them. In 1945, the newlyweds settle in Parambil. Under Big Ammachi’s wise leadership, the estate has grown into a village.

The marriage begins happily, but tensions soon arise over a jackfruit tree Elsie wants removed from their property. The tree holds sentimental value for Philipose, reminding him of his father. When his son Ninan is born prematurely and Elsie falls ill, Philipose promises to finally cut down the tree. But he never does.

Mariamma, the doctor

By 1950, former surgeon Digby is managing both Müller’s Madness as well as another plantation called Gwendolyn Gardens. In addition, he runs a rudimentary medical clinic. One day, a pregnant woman seeks his help. She’s been stabbed in the belly by her unstable husband. Digby successfully patches the woman’s wound, saving mother and child. He jokes that the baby was extending his fist like Lenin and christens it “Lenin, evermore”. Nine years later, young Lenin Evermore arrives at Parambil. He has lost his mother, father and little sister to smallpox. Big Ammachi is an acquaintance of his parents, who’s promised to take care of him. His rebellious spirit fascinates Philipose’s young daughter Mariamma. But his antics soon prove too much – Philipose decides to send Lenin away to boarding school.

Some years later, as a young woman, Mariamma decides to become a doctor. At medical school in Madras, she receives an unexpected visitor – Lenin. Immediately, an old attraction resurfaces. Lenin reveals his involvement with the Naxalites, a violent militant communist group. After sharing an intimate night together, Lenin asks Mariamma to join him in the uprising, but she refuses. With regret, they accept their separate paths.

Reunion

In 1974, an aging Philipose is involved in a tragic accident. His train to Madras derails and plunges into a river. Surviving the initial impact, Philipose attempts to defy the family curse and save a drowning child. But his inability to swim proves fatal.

Mariamma is shocked when she sees her father’s dead body. But she seizes the chance to learn more about his mysterious condition. She lets colleagues conduct an autopsy and discovers that her family suffers from a variant of von Recklinghausen's disease. The illness, she learns, causes nonmalignant tumors along the nerves in the ear, leading to dizziness and deafness.

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What is The Covenant of Water about?

The Covenant of Water (2023) follows a family in southern India across three generations as they grapple with a chilling affliction – the death by drowning of at least one member of every generation. Spanning almost the entire twentieth century, this masterful literary novel is a poignant tale of love and loss, chronicling the evolution of a family as well as India's turbulent passage into modernity.

The Covenant of Water Review

The Covenant of Water (2022) explores the mysterious connections between individuals and water, offering a unique perspective on life's essence. Here are three reasons why this book stands out:

Intriguing exploration of the symbolic and physical significance of water allows readers to reflect on their own relationships with this essential element.
Compelling personal narratives intertwined with scientific facts create a rich tapestry of stories that captivate and educate simultaneously.
Refreshingly original insights spark curiosity and provide a fresh take on the vital role water plays in shaping our world and ourselves.

Who should read The Covenant of Water?

Fans of literary fiction interested in emotional resonance and the human experience
People intrigued by the traditions and everyday lives of families in southern India
Those fascinated by India's culture and history, especially the changes in Indian society throughout the 1900s

About the Author

Abraham Verghese is a physician, professor, and bestselling author known for his empathetic approach to medicine and resonant depictions of the human condition. He has held professorships at Stanford University School of Medicine since the 1990s, where he continues to teach and practice medicine. His other best-selling books include his memoir My Own Country (1995) and Cutting for Stone (2010), which has sold over a million copies worldwide.

Categories with The Covenant of Water

Biography & Memoir Society & Culture

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