The Covenant of Water

Mariamma’s discoveries about the Condition also reveal something about the Christians in the state of Kerala: “[T]hey are related. The community of Saint Thomas Christians is now quite large, but they share the same ancestors in the original families that Doubting Thomas converted to Christianity” (615). This interconnected community mirrors the theme of Condition and Connection, as the history that connects them is also the source of their shared condition, a condition that provides an undercurrent of meaning to their communal existence. This discovery also foreshadows Mariamma’s future discovery about her parentage; though she is raised by Big Ammachi, she is not a blood relative. Nevertheless, their paths never diverged. As the marriage broker tells Mariamma, “Every family has secrets, but not all secrets are meant to deceive. What defines a family is not blood, molay, but the secrets they share” (620). Again, this points to Mariamma’s ultimate discovery about the fact that Philipose is not her father, that the secret was kept from her—not to deceive, but to protect. This will become even more evident in the final section of the book.

The house at Parambil becomes the place where another curse is broken—that of The Injustice of Caste and Class. Here, Joppan—a so-called untouchable—will eat at the same table alongside Anna, who is not a servant but a big sister, and Mariamma: “Parambil has changed. The three of them are family and all one caste” (621). The ancient and unjust system of caste is no longer honored at Parambil. Family takes precedence over rankings, and the family that has been built at the estate is one in which none of the members are blood relations.

Mariamma’s studies about the Condition reveal some intriguing truths about the disease. Her article—published in the magazine for which Philipose once wrote—describes the various manifestations of the Condition: “It’s fascinating how the women with the Condition are all remembered as ‘eccentric.’ That stood out as much as their dislike of water” (624). The editor goes on to suggest that “these eccentricities aren’t explained by a tumor. […] [H]ere’s my hypothesis: What if these acoustic neuromas have a counterpart in the mind, some aberration that’s part of the Condition and reveals itself as ‘eccentricity’?” (625). This becomes crucial in the potential rehabilitation of Lenin. If his reckless actions are the result, at least in part, of the Condition, then he may be freed from prison one day—and sooner than expected.

Mariamma also notes that the “eccentricity” identified by her studies and singled out in the magazine article will never be wholly excised from Lenin’s personality—even if the tumor is. This, ultimately, does not deter her affection for him: “She likes this Lenin. No. She loves him. As much as they’ve both changed, the essence of a person is formed at 10 years of age—that’s her theory. The ‘eccentric’ part can’t be cut out” (654). While Lenin will eventually be carted off to prison—and the reader never learns of his and Mariamma’s fate—it is fairly safe to presume that Mariamma will wait for him to emerge, that he will return to her as soon as he can. As with water, there are relationships that cannot be broken.