"I'll wake up as princess"

“Share an experience of your life that you have not told to anyone till today.” Dr. Bishwambher Pyakuryal, an economics professor and the final judge for Miss Nepal beauty pageant wittily constructed the winning question for the coveted crown at the grand finale.[break]

“When I did not get to do the lead role (for) a drama – My Fair Lady in my school, I felt really bad and cried. But then I realized how that incident built more confidence into me and prepared me for all the difficult circumstances. It taught me that not all what you expect comes true in life and (that) one should not give up. It taught me to improvise myself as a better human being and persuaded me to work much harder.” This answer from contestant nine was enough to reserve her the coveted crown to become the new Miss Nepal 2009.

Zenisha Moktan, 20, a famed actress and a model, is a former Miss Tamang who debuted in the movie Mero Euta Saathi Chha last week. In an exclusive interview to The Week after the event, Moktan said that she used to dream of being a princess ever since she was a child. “I always dreamt of becoming a princess and wanted a crown on my head. And today I am. Oh, my God! I cannot believe this. It’s implausible. Pinch me and tell me that I’m the Miss Nepal 2009,” flabbergasted and shocked, Zenisha Moktan burst out after the crown was placed on her head.

Two years ago, when she bagged Miss Tamang, an ethnic-Tamang beauty pageant, she knew it was not the end of her dreams. She promised herself that sooner or later, the crown of Miss Nepal will have to come to her. It was, with this conviction and hope; she participated in Miss Nepal last year. Despite extensive grooming and hard work night and day, her dream of becoming Miss Nepal did not come into fruition when the beauty pageant was stalled after much controversy and protests.

Many who participated along with her gave up the hopes of walking down the stage to get the crown. But this pretty maiden of “high ambitions and dreams” did not give up that easily. She waited for things to fall the right way. And when Hidden Treasure, the organizers of Miss Nepal beauty pageant, announced the opening for the audition this year, she was one of the first ones to register her name.

The last year’s contest saw a bevy of beauties, mostly models and actresses vying for the contest. And this year was not different either. Zenisha had a tough time competing with some of the promising models of the showbiz like Aayusha Karki, Kunchhang Moktan, Richa Thapa Magar, Punam Thapaliya and Reetu Shakya. Despite the fact that many of them were her good friends, Moktan claims that she knew how to tread that thin line between “balancing her friendship and maintaining the cut throat competition.”

A resident of Boudha, Moktan did her schooling from Mount Hermon School in Darjeeling and graduated A-Levels from Malpi International College. Currently, she is doing her undergraduate course in Business from Wigan and Leigh College Nepal (WLC) in Kathmandu. Her favorite book is The Monk who sold his Ferrari by Robin S Sharma and she loves to swim, collect coins and play tennis. After bagging the crown at Miss Tamang, she also became the vice-president of Nepal Tamang Women’s Association and got involved in social and non-profit activities.

When the final declaration was underway, it was evident that all last five standing were on a neck-to-neck comptetition. Kunchhang Moktan bagged the second runners-up and Richa Thapa Magar won the first runners-up. People bit their nails as the competition narrowed down to Zenisha Moktan and former Miss Teen Aayusha Karki, both of who had garnered much fanfare and applause from the audience.

But Moktan fares that she knew it was evidently her because she “had performed better than Aayusha at the finals round.”

How will her life be different the next morning? The answer came pat, “Miss Nepal 2009 Zenisha Moktan will wake up as a princess. She will pamper herself a lot. And after a lot of pampering, she will take over all her responsibilities that every Miss Nepal does after being crowned.”

The Week asked her about the demonstration that went outside the pageant venue earlier in the day, the new Miss Nepal retorted asking them to “not try and impose the idea of womanhood” upon her and her likes. “We’re already at the age when we can decide what is right and what is wrong for us. Please do not try to enforce on us what you believe is true.”

We hope the revolutionaries are reading!