What is happening with President Putin?

So.... It has been 5 days since the start of Putin's ill advised war. The Ukrainians seem to be holding up and no major city has fallen into the hands of Russian forces. Russia has become the international pariah and even Switzerland, that bastion of neutrality has adopted wholesale EU sanctions against Russia. One has to stop for a second if the Swiss are taking a stand. Russians, themselves are protesting against this war. Many of them are on the streets while many more are withdrawing their money from ATMs. The rouble has tanked and all for what?

Everything that has been the stated objectives of Putin have failed and the opposite has been achieved. I think Putin thought that this would be a re-run of the Crimean annex. A quick military exercise, the current Ukrainian leadership toppled and replaced with a pro Russian one and Bob's your uncle. Most probably, the rest of the world would have made some noise and slapped a few sanctions which Russia could have ridden through. The fierce resistance of the Ukrainians and the condemnation of the whole world must have surprised him. One thing that Putin has done is the unity of so many. That would have been an impossible feat normally. 

There has been some news that President Putin is quite ill and wanted to roll the dice before he died. His face does look quite puffy. So, could it all be true? If so, how is Putin going to react to all this setbacks?

Mother

 This is a poem that I wrote. I also tried to translate it into Tamil. Please enjoy.

My Mother, of the dark hue and flashing eyes

Gives out a laugh of sheer joy.

Her tresses flow hither and thither, 

Her ornaments, in a disarray. 

Drunk on wine and blood, 

She dances wildly in the cremation grounds. 

Again and again, She dances

Thaam Thakita Thaam

My Father, clad in the skins of the tiger

Sits and looks at Her with love.

She fills His Heart and half of His body

She calls out to Him to join Her

“Come, Shiva!” She says and His Name 

On Her lips thrills Him. 

Together, They dance in bliss 

And, everything dances with Them. 

கருநீல உடலுடன், வெட்டும் விழிகள் கொண்ட என் அன்னை, வாய் விட்டு சிரிக்கிறாள்.

அவள் கேசம் இங்கும் அங்கும் பாய்கிறது. 

அவள் அணிகலன்களோ, சீர் அற்ற நிலையில்.

மதுவும் உதிரம் கொடுத்த போதையில், 

ஸ்மஷானத்தில் தன்னை மறந்து ஆடுகிறாள். 

மீண்டும், மீண்டும் அவள் ஆடுகிறாள்

தாம் தகிட்ட தாம்.

புலி தோல் உடுத்திய என் அய்யன், 

அங்கு அமர்ந்து, காதல் கொண்ட கண்களால் நோக்குகிறார். 

தன் இதயத்தையும், சரி பாதி உடலையும் ஆட்கொண்டவள் அவள்.

தன்னுடன் சேர்ந்து ஆடும்படி அன்னை அழைக்கிறாள்.

“வா, சிவா!” அவள் சொல்கிறாள். தன் பெயரை அவள் உதடுகள் உச்சரிப்பதை கேட்டு பூரிப்பு அடைகிறார்ஈசன்.

இருவரும் ஆனந்தத்தில் ஆடுகின்றனர்.

அவர்களுடன் சேர்ந்து அனைத்தும் ஆடுகிறது.

Back again..

Well. I have had a vey long hiatus but I am back now. In these years I have been absent, I have had my children and life is certainly very busy. Especially, when you have 3 children under the age of 7. So, my hellos and vanakkams to my readers. :)

Now, on to the most important topic today. Currently, Russia is waging an unprovoked aggressive war against Ukraine. President Putin announced the war on Thursday, the 24/02/2022. The Ukrainians are defending ferociously. 

To be honest, I am actually doubting Putin's sanity. I am unable to understand what he intends to achieve with this unjust war. Literally, every nation is against this and Russia has lost a lot of goodwill. There have been may demonstrations against this war in Russia itself. Ordinary Russians are unhappy and do not support their leader. About the only countries supporting Russia are North Korea, Syria, Cuba, Venezuela and some other non state actors. The Pakistani Prime Minister, Imran Khan has met with Putin after the invasion. So, I suppose his country supports Russia, too.

What IS Putin's objectives? Apparently, it is to stop Ukraine from becoming a member of NATO. However, Ukraine is a sovereign, democratic country which has all rights to decide who they wish to align with. If Russia wanted them to be in their sphere of influence, this war is really not the way to go. Many people, including myself thought President Putin was a wily and pragmatic leader. By provoking this war, he has bought that assumption into question.

I don't doubt that Putin thinks he is fighting for the defence of Russia. Yet, I somehow feel that he has succumbed to paranoia and may have accelerated the decay of Russia. 

My prayers are with Ukraine and President Zelensky. My prayers are also with ordinary Russians who have been caught up. Finally, my prayers are with us all. May this war end soon and with minimum casualties.

Om Tat Sat.           

Who am I?

Who am I? This question often bugs me.. The persona I have taken is that of a Tamil Singaporean girl living in London. Yet, I do not fully feel as part of any of that identity. Sometimes, it seems as though I am part of 2 things at the same time and also apart. There are times when I envy people who view the world as black and white. Because, let me say this, the World in grey is one heck of an confusing place....

I am a Singaporean but my mom is Indian. So, my upbringing has a huge flavour of India. I am Asian but I live in Europe and am also influenced by it. So, who am I really? I can't state I am so and so with certainty if I wished to be truthful... People confuse themselves of who I am. :) I can't help them be clear when I am in the same boat.. Lol.

Oh well, at least I am happy that I am Shankaree. Unique, always. An enigma, certainly. A quest?  Hmm, I am not sure...;P

Random thoughts

A lazy Sunday morning... Listening to some lovely Carnatic music. How many ragas there are and how many talas.. All rise from the basic 7 notes, Sa, Ri, Ga, Ma, Pa, Tha, Ni. Just like Life. All Life rises from a few select elements. Yet, what diversity?! God is a wonderful composer. :)

Random thoughts

Right now, I am at work... but, felt the need to share my thoughts... Ha ha. They are not lofty thoughts... Mundane, perhaps but still mine. It is a beautiful, sunny day out there but I am stuck here, inside. I do love the sun, especially during the colder months. When I walk outside, I love to show my face to the sun. When the rays hit my face, it always seems as though the Sun God is caressing my face with His golden fingers. When the sun starts to become stronger during spring, it seems as though the sunshine is thawing my frozen blood. At those times, I really identify with the Earth.

So... The Sun... That bright, golden orb in the sky...  It rules our lives so much. Sometimes, a welcome guest. At others, especially the summer months in India, an unwelcome one. :P Makes me wonder, when the Sun dies... will there be anyone to mourn its demise?

Just my musings....

It was a really beautiful day today and that got me thinking. Beauty..... what an amazing thing!! Beauty uplifts your soul. It does not need to be always benign. :) But, it is soothing and sometimes invigorating. Even Death can be beautiful as Life is. Why do we need Beauty in our life? It is almost a biological need, to have Beauty in some sense, in our lives. Without Beauty, even if all biological needs were met, Life would be without pleasure. So, the question remains..... Why is Beauty so important? Why is one person's idea of Beauty, another's horror or distaste? Is there something in this world that is consistently perceived as Beauty by all people? Or is Beauty like God?? ;P

Hung...

Well, it is official. The UK has an hung parliment. Although the Tories have made huge gains, they do not have majority.Nick Clegg, whose party wasn't able to capitalise on 'Cleggmania', is in the position of kingmaker. Shameless Gordon Brown has holed up in Number 10 and sending love messages to Clegg. Clegg has endorsed David Cameron's right to form government. The latest news is that both the Tory leader and Lib Dem leader are in talks.
This has to be one of the most exciting elections ever. We've had televised debates, postal fraud, voters being turned away and lack of ballot papers. But the core issue still remains. We still need a stable government to steer us through these trying times. So, I hope both Cameron and Clegg put the country above their parties and personal egos. As for Brown, GET OUT!!