Bo and Bodhi in “Viku and the Elephant”

The children’s book “Viku and the Elephant” was published by Bo-Tree House, so during my book signings, several people have asked me what Bo means. 

Bo-tree is short for Bodhi tree, a common tree in India and South Asia. It is the tree under which Siddhartha Gautama Buddha received enlightenment 2600 years ago and made the tree famous. The small publishing company that published this book draws inspiration from this triumph of one man and is established on the image of this ancient but still flourishing Bodhi tree. I have been to the spot under the Bo-tree where the Buddha sat and meditated. Its heart-shaped leaves have inspired me all my life. I couldn’t but include a line in the story that says:

“Tired and hungry, he [Viku] sat down under a large Bodhi tree with heart-shaped leaves.”  

The Bo-tree is very special to me. It is a tree of awakening and I hope this little children’s book will inspire many children to search for knowledge and truth.

Ganesh and "Vike and the Elephant"

Kristen Gazaway, who is exploring whether to run for the U.S. President as an independent candidate, has asked me why I didn’t name the boy in “Viku and the Elephant” Ganesh. Ganesh or Ganesha is very well known in India as the elephant-headed god. He is worshipped by Hindus at the beginning of all ceremonies because he is the god of success. Before every worship service, every day before businessmen open their shops, and before starting a journey, Hindus pay homage to Ganesh first. 

Having the elephant head and the body of a human, Ganesh should understand elephants extremely well, which is what the boy in the story does. Why didn’t I then name him after Ganesh? Viku is an ordinary boy in a poor laborer family. I could say that they would not think of naming their son after a god. Here people would not name a son after Jesus although there is no barrier to that. But that is not true in India and in some Spanish cultures. Indians often name their children after gods and goddesses. However, I think, subconsciously the mythological story of how Ganesh received his elephant head stopped me. Let me tell you a gist of the legend.

While the great god, Lord Shiva, was away, with her divine power his wife, the goddess mother of the world, created a handsome son for company. She asked him to guard the house and not let anyone in until she was done with her bath. In the mean time and without any notice, Lord Shiva showed up at the door and wanted to come in, but her son, Ganesh, guarded the door. Shiva didn’t recognize Ganesh and was naturally annoyed at the impudent boy and asked for entrance again. Ganesh told him his mother had ordered him to guard the door and he would not let anyone in so long as he was alive. At this Shiva became so angry that he chopped off Ganesh’s head and barged in to the house. When the goddess mother saw what Shiva had done, she was very angry and demanded that Shiva restore her son’s life. In order to placate his angry wife, Shiva asked his attendant to get the head of a living being immediately – whoever he could find first. The attendant met an elephant and brought its head to Shiva. Shiva then restored the boy’s life with the elephant’s head and, to make up for the mess he had created, gave Ganesh the blessing that he would be revered as the god who removes obstacles and be worshipped first – before all other gods. To this day, all Hindu worship services begin with prayers to Ganesh.

This is a tall story and I wanted to write a simple tale of an ordinary boy. So the thought did not occur to me to associate my little boy with the important god of India who also happens to be the patron deity of all writers.  

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For more info on "Viku and the Elephant" please go to the Publisher at www.botreehouse.com or Amazon.com

How Viku, in the book “Viku and the Elephant,” got his name

May 18, 2011: During the announcement of publication of my children’s story, “Viku and the Elephant,” at the Idaho Falls Public Library, Matthew, a 4^th grader, asked me how I came up with the name Viku. It was a very good question. I was surprised by his wonderful courage at a gathering where there were many adults: teachers, a principal of an elementary school, the librarian, several writers, parents, friends, even my aquatic aerobics instructor, and a few other children and grandchildren that accompanied them. I have known Matthew for two years; he is a quiet, intelligent boy with large dreamy eyes. His question was a true delight.

In India, most people have two names – one is called the good name, a name they get when they have their first solid-food, which is eaten during a special ceremony (Annaprasan) at the age of nine months to a year old. This name becomes their official name. Traditionally, Indians do not give an official name to a child when born, as is done in the West. This is because in the olden days many children died early in life. All children, however, get a nickname, and often are called by that name for the rest of their lives. My twin sister’s nickname is Chhobi (“picture”), because she was a beautiful baby, and I was called Lattu (“spinning top”). You can imagine why they called me “spinning top”, something that goes round and round – I must have been a very busy little boy. The formal names – the good names – are often big, heavy, serious, and difficult to pronounce and used mostly in official papers, and, for many, not so much in everyday life.

Viku didn’t have a good name. I didn’t even imagine a good name for him. He was Viku as soon as he was born in my mind and remained so.

Matthew sent me back to my childhood when I first heard about a legendary King named Vikram. Vikram is a Sanskrit word, meaning “brave.” He was a wise king – valorous and magnanimous, and he willingly faced dangers in order to save his subjects. You may have read or heard of the book Vikram and the Vampire, which describes many of his adventures.

Like Jeffrey becomes Jeff, Viku is a nickname that comes from Vikram. In India the “u” sound serves the same purpose as the ee or y sound serves in the west (Cathy, Scotty, etc.). Vik could also be his name from Vikram, but that does not sound Indian and to me, Viku is more affectionate.

So, Viku in the story got his name from Vikram, the great king. Therefore, expect Viku to be brave and a very good person like King Vikram. Now you read the story and tell me if he is.

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For more info on "Viku and the Elephant" please go to the Publisher at www.botreehouse.com or Amazon.com

Viku and the Elephant Released

My children's book, Viku and the Elephant, has recently been released! It is a fantastic read-aloud story that is suitable for elementary school children from seven to ten years of age. Viku and the Elephant has also been praised by several National Award-Winning teachers from California to Maine.

If you're interested, you can find it at the Bo-Tree House Publishing website or at Amazon.com.