My Salinger tribute

Last week, I read at least 10 JD Salinger tributes.
Two of them worth linking: Salil Thripathi writes A world full of phoneys, in his Mint column, stating that Indrajith, a character from a Bengali play is our very own Holden (for me this could be perhaps Agastya Sen from English, August, although in a different way and slightly grown up). American movie writer Kim Morgan lists six movies which could have been influenced by The Catcher in the Rye.

Apart from changing my life etc. (another loser, eh?), the book induced in me this wonderful pastime of spotting phoneys around me. At work, in the pub, in media... everywhere. I also started appreciating people who were not. If I had kept a list, I could have made it into Holden’s Hall of Shame (phoneys), and Fame.

Two striking figures from the recent past from Indian media that comes to my mind now, for the Holden's Hall of Fame - people who chose NOT to be phoney:

Anil Kapoor: For just being himself at the Globes and the Oscars and immensely enjoying every moment than being conscious about the celebrities around him and the etiquettes. Each time Slumdog won, he was shouting and cheering- even if he had whistled desi-style, it would not have been out of place!

Kavita Karkare: For courageously ignoring societal pressure and rewriting the clichéd image of the Indian widow, at the funeral of Mr. Karkare.

In a society where grief over death is rarely a private practice, where formalised mourning rituals encourage families and communities to survive loss by reliving it through loud expressions, where bereaved women are expected to wear white and look distraught, Kavita Karkare refused to mount her sorrow publicly.
Dressed in a red and light brown sari, a small bindi on her forehead, a red bangle on one of her arms, her hair neatly combed, she projected an image of forbearance that badly needs to be registered in our collective consciousness as dark fears surround us. (Outlook, Dec 2008)

But for those who hated Holden, maybe I should just shut up and take a Prozac.

Society, you’re a crazy breed
Hope you are not lonely, without me.
(Into the Wild, Vedder/Hannen 2007)