Clad in a one-piece dress and towering high heels, the first year BBS student exudes confidence that’s hard to go unnoticed. Essentially a resident of Birgunj, Neha is in the capital as a participant of the Lux Hidden Treasure Miss Nepal 2011 pageant. [break]
With similar grace and poise, 19 other contestants of Lux Hidden Treasure Miss Nepal 2011 gathered at the 8 Degrees Restaurant, Jhamsikhel, on Tuesday, taking tips from Sadichha Shrestha, the reigning Miss Nepal who shared her experiences with them.
“Today, we had our hair and skin judged,” informed Paudel. As the contestants sat for a round table talk with Sadichha, they seemed busy taking notes and putting forth their queries.
“We have very little time for training this year,” informed Sadichha. While the training duration last year was around six weeks, this time around the girls have only 25 days to groom themselves.
While the participants are coping time constraints by putting in extra hours, the monetary aspect of the pageant this year is raising quite a few eyebrows with a few mumbles of dissatisfaction.
“The prize money this year isn’t as much as that of last year, and it seems to be creating queries,” informed Saddicha, further adding, “However, money isn’t the sole reason behind vying for that crown; the title can open a myriad of doors to opportunities and the respect it garners is incomparable.”
This year’s pageantry will see two choreographers – Rachana Gurung and Shweta Singh, the latter a former Miss Nepal.
“This has been a wonderful learning opportunity,” smiled Shruti Pandey, another contestant, adding, “From hair and skincare to presenting oneself on stage, from table manners to walking, the past few days have been such a major learning curve.”
This ever-smiling participant’s sentiment reverberates with the rest of the participants who believe that the crown and the prize are “not everything.”
“We’ve learnt things that have changed us for the better, each and everyone of us take back something from here, and most importantly, we all have found friends in each other,” added she.
A unanimous “Yes” and nods confirm the shared sentiment with Pandey, and the girls launch into sharing the pet names they have given each other. They believe that alongside the trainings, the fact that they all come from diverse backgrounds makes the experience that much richer.
Anupama Gurung, 19, has been in the country only for the last three years. A BBA student, Gurung believes the opportunity to stand for one’s country at a stage which has the world’s eyes set on it is a once-in-a-life opportunity.
“I’m taking this as a privilege. Solely representing one’s country is a huge deal,” she says.
Gurung dreams of becoming an entrepreneur and has already taken her first step towards her dreams.
She is the proud owner of a recently started boutique. On the subject of her toughest competition, a rather reluctant and diplomatic Gurung laughed, “All of us are equally talented and everyone has a forte.”
Sadichha agreed with her on this one. “I think all the girls are charming,” she enthuses, adding “It’s going to be a tough call and we really can’t predict anything now.”
Alongside the glitter and glory the contest brings along, these beautiful participants are equally aware of the fact that there are also those who view the contest in a negative light.
“I think the problems are due to misunderstandings,” opines Manisha Bista, adding, “If both parties could sit down and talk over the issues, it can definitely be sorted out.”
This biotechnology graduate dreams of turning the nation into a place where people can work hand in hand even if their priorities differed.
The next step towards the crown for the girls will be the talent round, to be held on August 26 at Russian Culture Centre, Kamal Pokhari.
The day when the dreams of one of these ladies will come true is not that far. The grand finale is set to take place on August 30 at the Army Officers’ Club.
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