St Martins Day, Comparative Mythology & MBA

For people who might have not known or noticed Levis Strauss(not the Jeans)passed away recently, I knew about Levis Strauss from my Grandmother a brilliant lady to whom I owe most of whatever I know (or dont know) till date, she taught me a bit about comparative mythology.

I learnt something today from Laura(super mom) today, she had to leave class early today because today was the day when her kids were going to be walking around streets in Sachenhausen along with a lot of other kids with lanterns singing songs(Sigh! I wanted to go and see that! you Frankfurters must tell us all this early so that we can plan and go and see these kinda' stuff!I strongly believe that we can get to learn as much observing such symbolism(yeah I am a Carl Jung junkie) as we can in a Classroom),today was St.Martins Day.St. Martins day or the feast day of Martin of Tours, St Martin started out as a Roman soldier. He was baptized as an adult and became a monk. It is understood that he was a kind man who led a quiet and simple life. The most famous legend of his life is that he once cut his cloak in half to share with a beggar during a snowstorm, to save the beggar from dying of the cold. That night he dreamed that Jesus was wearing the half-cloak Martin had given away. Martin heard Jesus say to the angels: "Here is Martin, the Roman soldier who is not baptised; he has clothed me." From the late 4th century CE to the late Middle Ages, much of Western Europe, including Germany, engaged in a period of fasting beginning on the day after St. Martin's Day.This fast period lasted 40 days, and was, therefore, called "Quadragesima Sancti Martini", which means in Latin "the forty days of St. Martin." At St. Martin's eve, people ate and drank very heartily for a last time before they started to fast. This fasting time was later called "Advent" by the Church.

What excited me and Well what is comparative about is that this has 3 (or 4) similar comparatives for Indians/South Indians, today is Kirthigai or Karthika Deepam where people light lamps outside their home in South India and also today is the day when believers of Lord Ayyapan begin their 40 day fast( yeah the Same 40 day FAST) where Devotees observe traditional austerities (vruthams) before their pilgrimage to sabarimala to lord ayyappa also this St.Martin is similar to that of Karna) of the Mahabarath(Ramayan and Mahabhart are to Indians what is Homer' Ilayad or Odysseys to the Greek ^about a million!

Great Man think Alike and of course Fools seldom differ!

But what made me really appreciate what Laura told me today, was when I realised that an MBA degree(or most MBA') has been cleverly designed by extremely smart 'lazy people' who know that students would learn more from themselves thanks to our interaction,diversity and background than probaly the course itself(Just kidding it is actually the COURSE+peer Learning)! thats extremely intelligent on part of the course designers Indeed!

I have so far learnt as much from my MBA classrooms as I have from the city,people of the city/country,my brilliant team mates who bear with my mood swings(INSURANCE against future free rides!) and of course my really talented classmates(this is inspite of my first term distraction on studies! :)).But my gut feel says the later would overtake!


P.S: I am sorry for hogging blog space ,I was an inveterate blogger)...(JUST COUGH) but at the same time I must add that his blog would be extremely interesting if we just take time and write or better still post whether for Smyth Pie Market 1 or Market 2 is better to enter before the assignment due date!