The Covenant of Water: Summary and Ending Explained

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Note: the following guide contains spoilers!

Abraham Verghese’s latest book, The Covenant of Water, tells a big, long story about an Indian family.

The family has a problem called the “Condition,” which makes many family members, especially men, drown from 1900 to 1977. Big Ammachi, the family leader, hopes someone will find out what causes the Condition and how to cure it. The story is set in the southern part of Kerala, India, and follows Ammachi’s life from being a child bride to becoming a family matriarch, dealing with many sad events.

The book, published in 2023, talks about the caste system in India, the class system in the United Kingdom, a small Christian community in India, and criticizes the British presence in India. It also teaches a lot about Indian culture, history, and politics. Verghese, who is a doctor, describes sickness, surgeries, and recovery in detail.

In this guide we will go through the complete summary and ending explanation for The Covenant of Water! I’ve also attached a link to my book club discussion guide for this novel, with some additional recommendations. Enjoy! ✨

Summary | Ending Explained | Book Club Questions

The Covenant of Water Summary

The story begins with a 12-year-old girl who is about to marry a 40-year-old farmer in the traditional customs of the time. Since her father has passed away, and her mother cannot take care of her, the girl is bound for her husband’s family estate in Parambil, Kerala. Tearfully departing from her home, both she and her mother understand that this arrangement is inevitable.

Upon reaching Parambil, the girl discovers that her new family has a unique and tragic history referred to as the “Condition.” This affliction, leading to drownings in nearly every generation, becomes a shadow over their lives from 1900 to 1977.

The novel unfolds through the alternating perspectives of the young bride, now known as Big Ammachi, and Digby Kilgore, a Scottish man who joins the Indian Medical Service. Their lives take separate paths but eventually intertwine in ways that profoundly shape their destinies.

Big Ammachi, adapting to life on the Parambil estate, and Digby, a Scottish surgeon adjusting to Indian culture, become essential figures in the lives of the other characters. Together, they must navigate through various tragedies that test their resilience and survival.

The challenges for Big Ammachi continue when her stepson JoJo tragically drowns, a heart-wrenching loss for her. Despite the sorrow, she finds joy in her daughter, Baby Mol, even though Baby Mol is diagnosed with developmental disabilities.

Big Ammachi, having entered into an arranged marriage with a significant age difference, deeply loves her husband, but he passes away soon after the birth of their son, Philipose. Despite their love, Philipose’s destiny lies in writing rather than becoming a doctor like Big Ammachi had hoped.

On the other side, Dr. Digby Kilgour, an orphan seeking success in India after facing rejection in Scotland, experiences a promising career as a surgeon cut short by tragedy. Falling in love with his mentor’s wife leads to an affair, a fatal fire, and irreversible damage to his hands. Forced to abandon surgery, Digby invests in Gwendolyn Gardens estate and transitions into a gentleman farmer. During his recovery at a leprosarium run by Dr. Rune Orqvist, Digby’s life becomes intertwined with the Parambil residents.

Rune enlists a young girl named Elsie to assist Digby in his rehabilitation. Through Elsie’s help, Digby discovers a new talent for drawing, which aids in the healing of his damaged hands. As Philipose grows older, he brings a choking boy to the leprosarium, as Parambil lacks a proper hospital.

Digby teaches Philipose how to perform a life-saving tracheotomy, marking the beginning of their connection. Digby enlists his friend Chandy to give Philipose a ride home, where he meets Elsie. Struck by her, Philipose and Elsie eventually marry in the unfolding narrative.

Continuing the tale of tragedy, Philipose and Elsie’s young son dies while climbing a tree, leaving Philipose with severe ankle injuries. To cope with the pain, he turns to opium, becoming addicted. The couple blames each other for their child’s death, leading Elsie to leave Parambil.

Unaware of her whereabouts, Philipose remains in the grip of addiction. Elsie eventually returns, and although they don’t reconcile, they share an intimate moment. Elsie, haunted by something, gives birth to a premature girl named Mariamma but refuses to acknowledge her. Soon after, Elsie disappears, an apparent suicide.

Philipose, motivated by his daughter Mariamma, overcomes his addiction and raises her with the help of Big Ammachi. When Mariamma decides to become a doctor, tragedy strikes again as Philipose drowns, succumbing to the mysterious “Condition” that plagues their family.

Determined to uncover the cause and cure, Mariamma discovers that Digby, not Philipose, is her biological father. Seeking answers from Digby, she learns the heartbreaking truth: Elsie rejected her for another reason—she had contracted leprosy and wanted to protect Mariamma from the disease.

Digby, caring for Elsie all these years, reveals the long-hidden secret. Mariamma’s life takes a profound turn as she grapples with the revelation. Despite the challenges, she embraces the change and seeks connection with her disfigured and blind mother.

Through a touching moment at a glass pane, the two worlds of mother and daughter finally come together. The story beautifully illustrates how, like the families at Parambil and the doctor at the leprosarium, two seemingly separate worlds inevitably find a connection.

The Covenant of Water Ending Explained

The last chapters of Covenant of Water are particularly important to understand the ending of the novel. Here’s a comprehensive analysis of the ending:

In the chapters where Digby recounts his relationship with Elsie, it’s evident that by 1950, there are fewer white faces at elite clubs due to the departure of white estate owners after Independence. Despite Indian pride growing, there are still lingering effects of colonial rule.

The idea that post-colonialism erases the colonial past is debunked; Indian national pride is strong, but English language and culture remain deeply embedded, especially among the educated and wealthy class. In essence, the postcolonial period is seen as an extension of the colonial era.

When Mariamma seeks the truth about her parentage from Digby, he shows her a surgery he’s performing despite his old hand injuries. Although he mostly uses his better left hand, Mariamma is reluctantly impressed by his skill. Digby explains his surgical techniques, saying they’re not in any textbook and require faith.

He tells Mariamma that she must believe without proof, using the language of religion to describe the psychological aspect of his recovery. Digby’s “faith” is not exactly the same as the faith held by Big Ammachi or Philipose, but it shows how the concept of belief without proof influences the characters in this world.

As Digby and Elsie reunite, Digby notices that Elsie has become a grown woman, catching up to him in life. This prompts him to reassess their relationship, seeing her not as a child who once helped rehabilitate his hands through drawing lessons, but as a woman who has experienced and survived tragedy. Despite this shift, hands continue to play a significant role in their connection.

Elsie glances at Digby’s hands, and he extends his right hand, flexing the fingers. She smiles sheepishly, caught in the act, and studies his hand carefully, comparing it to her memories. Approvingly, she nods and then looks steadily at him, creating a moment of tension. This honest assessment allows Digby to speak openly to her.

When Elsie discusses her identity as an artist and the struggle of giving up her work, she looks down at her own hands. Digby shares a perspective, stating that “Art is never finished. Only abandoned,” attributing the idea to Michelangelo but playfully admitting that he might have “made that up.” Elsie’s laughter at his lightheartedness surprises and pleases Digby.

The bond between Digby and Elsie grows, starting with Digby’s acceptance of Elsie’s artistic inclinations, something that Philipose had undermined rather than supported in the past. This shared understanding becomes a foundation for their deeper connection.

As Elsie walks to the cliff’s edge, Digby silently pleads for her not to leap, realizing he wants to be with her. When he gently pulls her back from the edge, he hopes she has chosen to live, making an unspoken promise: “I’ll never let you fall, never let you go, not as long as I live.” Digby keeps this promise, even as he uncovers Elsie’s terrible secret.

When Elsie stays away from Parambil for an extended period, Digby is distraught, reflecting on the fleeting nature of happiness in love. Ironically, Elsie returns to him, floating down the river in a staged act of suicide.

Digby compares her to a “resurrected Ophelia,” recalling her role in bringing him back to life years ago and paralleling Mariamma’s revival of Lenin. Throughout the story, many characters face martyrdom or resurrection, contributing to the theme of redemption.

Elsie’s leprosy diagnosis prevents the reunion of her chosen family, as Mariamma cannot join them without risking her health and societal acceptance. Digby realizes that Elsie’s condition, unlike the one Mariamma manages to solve, is progressive and incurable.

Despite the challenges, Digby decides their love is worth any risk or pain at the end, acknowledging the end of one life and the beginning of another he never imagined. He vows to stay with Elsie, just as he did before knowing her fate.

Mariamma faces a challenging decision: “How is she to reconcile the long-dead mother with this living apparition on the lawn?” Her shock at discovering her mother is alive, her astonishment at learning Digby is her father, and her sadness at meeting her mother after she has been blinded and disfigured nearly overwhelm her. In this emotional moment, she silently turns to the man she believed was her father and realizes that Elsie had visited her many times, disguised as a beggar during the annual religious convention.

This revelation seems like a sign of approval from Philipose, her believed father. Shortly after this realization, Mariamma goes to the window where her mother has pressed her palms against it, matching them with her own. This final scene suggests a moment of connection and acceptance between Mariamma and her long-lost mother, Elsie.

What happens at the end of The Covenant of Water?

At the end of this novel, Mariamma discovers that Digby is her biological father, not Philipose. Elsie, her long-lost mother, who was thought to have died, is alive but is now blind and disfigured due to leprosy.

Despite the initial shock and sadness, Mariamma accepts her mother and realizes that Elsie had been secretly visiting her dressed as a beggar. This discovery brings Mariamma closer to both Digby and Elsie, marking a moment of connection and acceptance.

The novel concludes with a theme of redemption, emphasizing the enduring power of love and family bonds despite the challenges and tragedies faced by the characters.

Happy reading! ❤️