Dharamsala,India: This Himachal town is all geared up for the annual Miss Tibet contest to be held Oct 13-15.
Lobsang Wangyal, producer-director of the pageant, said the event would be held at McLeodganj, the seat of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama here, and added that the names of the participants would be announced Friday.
“The fifth edition of the Miss Tibet pageant is ready and like we said before, we will have a nice surprise this year since we are going to have the biggest number of participants in the pageant’s history,” Wangyal told .
He expressed satisfaction over the preparations for the event but lamented about the paucity of funds. Wangyal also dismissed reports about Tibetans being opposed to the pageant.
According to him, the event was popular among the youth and played a significant role in changing the mindset of orthodox Tibetans.
The first Miss Tibet pageant held in 2002 was a huge success but was criticised as “aping western culture” and being “un-Tibetan” by prominent members of the community.
The aspirants to the beauty crown are to arrive here Thursday. Then a week’s training, grooming and orientation on Tibetan history, culture and current affairs will commence.
Dharamsala is the seat of the Dalai Lama’s government-in-exile and is home to thousands of Tibetans.
