Kapitel 9: A Sumptuous Lunch
Tania was a sensitive person and could feel energies. The energy emitting from Igor's body was not a helpful energy. It was all wrong energy.
As a matter of fact, when the relatives had landed at the airport, she had gauged that this maternal uncle was not what he seemed. Her father used to say an Indian idiom that said, 'Hathi ke daanth dikhane ke or khane ke aur". This meant that appearances are deceptive. The elephant teeth for show are different compared to the teeth the elephant uses to eat. It was apparent that he did not like her. At the moment he was looking at her with a false smile. Tania guessed that he was no good, and she should be careful.
Her Dada ji put down his cup of tea and addressed Tania, "I know that you are very independent as my son and my daughter-in-law have taught you to be self-reliant, independent as well as being resourceful."
"I and your Dadi Ma wish that you come to India for some time."
"We want you to get to know Indian way of life and if feel like going out to malls etc, you can always go to the city now and then. You can stay with us as long as you wish. We will not hold you against your wishes."
"We will arrange for a young man to show you around as we will not be able to do so much running around ourselves."
Mira supported her husband and said, "Yes, Tania, come back with us to India so that we can spend some time together. To show you around, we will arrange someone."
Nikita joined in the conversation, and she also put down her cup of tea, in order to stress upon her needs. "I would like you to come back with us to Khayenky, our village in Ukraine."
"You have plenty of cousins to talk to in Khayenky, Ukraine," Igor added. "In addition, they will show you around Ukraine."
Nikita also felt that if Tania stuck to her decision, she would get the best of the two worlds.
On the other hand, Igor was a completely different person. His appearance was highly deceptive. Tania had seen this side of his face when she had gone to receive the relatives from the airport.
He was a cunning person whose main aim in life was to give himself the best of everything. Here, he was already in tension and wanted to somehow convince Tania to settle down in their village, Khayenky, in Ukraine.
Tania understood that if she landed up in Khayenky, he would not let her get out of that country.
"Yes, I entirely agree with mother here. We cannot let you stay alone in this big city." He said while rubbing his chin.
"Of course you can return to Moscow to do your job or study or whatever you want to do. Mother and I will never interfere in your plans."
Her uncle was a tall hefty chap about 6' in height and seemed to like dressing up in white clothes. Funny, had been dressed in white when the flight from Ukraine had landed at the airport where she had been waiting to receive her relatives from Ukraine with a placard.
Tania knew he was trying to sweet talk her to start liking him. One cannot be forced to like or dislike someone.
"Thank you all for your concern," Tania replied. "I would like to get to know your countries as well as the rest of my relatives and would most certainly like to visit your homes in the imminent future."
"It is lunchtime, Lunch is ready, if you would follow me, we will proceed to the dining hall which is just across the library." she added.
"There is a washroom adjacent to the dinning room if you would want to wash your hands as I have made a few Indian and a few Russian dishes. You all may want to eat with your hands."
Tania had not given her relatives a direct answer as to where she wanted to settle down, India or Ukraine? For her, staying in Moscow was equally good.
"At present, I do not think it is wise to go to the village in Ukraine. This uncle of mine is no good." These thoughts crossed her mind and she started to frown.
"He has designs on my parents' house and everything they have left to me after their demise. He wants this house, he wants to take over my bank accounts too. By the look of his crafty face, he is planning something sinister." The frown on her face deepened.
"Maybe I should visit my grandmother and my cousins much later after ascertaining from her that uncle is on tour or on a vacation," She thought all this and then about what would be the appropriate reply to give everyone?
"I will give a diplomatic reply, I think that should make everyone happy."
" I will say that I want to get to know all my relatives from both the countries and something about the countryside etc. I would most certainly like to visit the homes of my cousins and friends of my parents shortly." This would suffice but I need to wait till after lunch to give this diplomatic reply.
Hence, to change the subject she talked about lunch and the attention of the elders got diverted. They wanted to know how they would get served.
"Please follow me," Tania then guided everyone out of the library towards the dining hall which was just across the library."
She pointed to the washroom so that everyone could wash their hands.
"By the way! I would like to inform all of you that I have made a few Indian dishes as well as a few Russian dishes that I learned from my mother." Tania added with a smile.
"You all can eat with your hands if you wish," This was a bonus for everyone. It is not every day that in the western culture or Russian culture that you can eat with the hands.
Tania's thoughts drifted as to why people in many countries ate their meals using their hands instead of the knives, forks and spoons? It had something to do with using all your senses to eat ( sight, touch, smell, taste and hear also. It was like the sound made when the food was being mixed with the gravy or lentils).
Soon, everyone reached the long dining table and took their seats. Thereafter, they started to serve themselves from the great display of well-cooked dishes.
"You cook well," said Mira after putting a morsel in her mouth and biting on it.
"Did your father teach you these Indian dishes?" she asked.
"Nothing of that sorts Dadi ji, I learned cooking after watching mom cook all the dishes. So everything is in my mind. When I start to cook, my hands automatically know what to do," she replied after a few seconds.
Not to be left behind her Uncle also started to comment on her cooking. He had not taken any Indian dishes but had stuck to his Ukraine/Russian dishes.
"You cook very well. Did you attend any cookery classes?" he asked.
"No," she replied. "I used to watch my mother cook the Indian dishes she learned from Dad and the Russian dishes she had learned from Nani ji," Tania replied.
As soon as everyone had finished their lunch, she got up to get the desert. After desert, the men went to the library and both her grandmothers stayed back to help her clear the table and put the dishes for washing.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein