By Pawan Sharma
Dharamsala, September 29 – UNFAZED BY the criticism that beauty pageants are un-Buddhist and untraditional, Tibetan damsels eyeing the third Miss Tibet crown will descend on the abode of the Dalai Lama on Thursday morning.
Apparently, due to pressure from within the Tibetan community, just five Tibetan girls are daring to defy the opposition to the event and are expected to participate in this contest that has already started generating excitement among the Tibetan youth. “About 20 girls from India and abroad have sent in their applications. We are expecting six or five girls here,” Lobsang Wangyal, Director of the Miss Tibet pageant said.
The highlight of the event this year is expected to be a swimsuit round, which will be held behind closed doors. After undergoing a week-long training session, the competition will formally begin on October 8, with what a section of the Tibetans believe “controversial and un-Tibetan” swimsuit round. The venue of the round will be declared a night before the event. “Only media will be allowed to witness the swimsuit round,” said Wangyal.
On October 9, during the presentation and talent rounds, the contestants will be judged about their knowledge of Tibetan culture, history and current affairs. Besides, the Tibetan beauty queens will have to give a performance to present their talent in the third round of the event. Miss Tibet-2004 will be announced on October 10 evening, following four rounds — introduction, evening gown, Traditional Tibetan Costume and interview round. Miss Tibet will get Rs 1 lakh, while there will be prizes for some other winning categories such as Miss Photogenic.
Of the total five contestants expected here, three are India-born. Thinlay Dolma, born in Bir in Baijnath of Kangra district, did not study beyond matric and became a makeup artiste, while Gangtok-born Tashi Yangchen Serdup is a Computer Engineer from Pune University. Another participant, Kalsang Dickey, heard about the Miss Tibet pageant in Lhasa, from a friend who had retuned to Tibet from India, with the hope of becoming Miss Tibet. Dhondup Wangmo of Dehradun graduated from Delhi university and Tibet-born Sonam lives in Nepal.
“All the contestants think that Miss Tibet pageant is a very effective medium to highlight the cause of Tibet, to tell the world that Tibet exists and that Tibetans are very much into a fight for human rights and a free Tibet,” Wangyal said, quoting the participants.
Yet another high point of the event will be the Tibetan Film Festival being organised for the first time to honour and promote Tibetan films and inspire Tibetan filmmakers. If Kundun and Seven Years in Tibet were not shown in the Asian Film Festival held recently in Bombay, allegedly due to Chinese pressure, these films will be screened in the Tibetan Film Festival.
There will be two categories in the festival. The first category is about films produced, directed or written by Tibetans. There are about a dozen films in this category and the festival will screen all the films. The second category of films is about freedom movements, social and global issues. A best foreign film will also be voted for and three awards will be presented on the October 10 evening, before the crowning of Miss Tibet 2004.
