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Witerati | Till dearth do us part
Disposition and deathly pennings were divorced, more often than not; an assistant editor with the most cheerful aspect was sometimes the one called upon to pen newspaper obits
Ringing in a New Year by penning an obit is not how a season should be ushered in. An ending is not the way for a year’s beginning.
Losing a dear friend overnight to cancer recently saw many in one’s literary circles churning out obits. Overflowings, outpourings of grief.
Popping up on every second post in our literary circle were obits of all shades, sizes and surmises.
The past couple of months have seen quite an outing for the obit.
From Rata Tata to tabla maestro Zakir Hussain to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, all gave obit writing a new lease of life.
Blame it, or credit it, on the social media that has spawned an entire nation of obit writers. An entire species and sub species of social media obit writers, all shades of obits.
Some masterpieces, some plain pieces. Some spell heart, some art. Some more from the head, some going over the head.
In our good ‘ol days mapped out upon newspaper editorial desks, obits were indeed grave business.
Not everyone or anyone could hope to don the cap of an obit writer.
In fact, there used to be a senior colleague designated for the purpose. An assistant editor or deputy editor had this delicate task assigned to him or her.
You would have thought that the task of penning ponderings about death would have fallen upon the editor with the most melancholy manner and mien. Quite contrary.
Disposition and deathly pennings were divorced, more often than not. An assistant editor with the most cheerful aspect was sometimes the one called upon to pen newspaper obits.
We did have assistant editors though whose melancholy views of life disposed them temperamentally to doing more justice to the crafting of obits. The moment we spotted them staring gloomily and glassily at the wall to perhaps ponder boundaries between the worlds, puffing columns of cigarette smoke into the air and pounding at their typewriter with an air of utter doom and gloom, we knew it. We knew that they were plumbing the depth of obit writing.
Not everyone has the cheek or chutzpah to pen their own obit in advance like legendary late writer Khushwant Singh.
Khushwant Singh’s famous self-crafted epitaph had read thus :
“Here lies one who spared neither man nor God,
Waste not your tears on him, he was a sod ....”
A look at some species of obit writers the social media has spawned.
Selfie consciously yours
These selfie-conscious obit writers are a product of the social media existence. Their pieces dig out and dish out selfies that smack of shock frock and apparel.
The selfie-driven obit writers keep their posts short and let the selfies do the talking.
Selfies with the departed soul in every mood -- birthdays to anniversaries, on stage, off stage, even from times of upstage. Selfies with the departed soul that boast of the social media obit writer’s three markers --- time out, pout or clout.
Makers of masterpieces
These are obit writers who elevate obit writing to a new level.
Their obits exude heart as much as art.
One is reminded of a former colleague, senior editor and veteran journalist who has perfected obit writing to a creative craft.
A death in professional or personal circles makes his prolific pen spring to life. Punctuated and peppered with anecdotes, his obits spell out his craft. Poignant portraits of the departed soul come dipped in this esteemed raconteur’s ouvre and reminiscences.
He has perhaps penned more Facebook obits by now that could threaten to far outnumber his journalistic career’s edits.
Narcissistic obit writers
The obits by this tribe smack of “me, myself”.
This is one type of obit that could actually make the departed souls turn in their grave.
For, the narcissistic writers’ obits are less about the departed soul, more about themselves and their fixation with going it “sole”.
The curious case of Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna.
chetnakeer@yahoo.com
