Jun 18, 2001 03:20 PM
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John Ruskin said “Remember that the most beautiful things in the world are the most useless: Peacocks and lilies, for instance”.
According to me contests held to select most beautiful people are also useless.They do not serve any purpose.
The outward beauty is only skin-deep which withers with age, there is something else deep inside that is less apparent but more vital – the “soul beauty” which is eternal.
Beauty contests are just bimbo glorification extravaganzas held with sickening regularity where nubile lasses parade up the podium for a flimsy, tinselly, glittery crown.
Many who advocate beauty contests as a means of furthering global relations and economies, tend to overlook one simple fact, particularly in the Indian context.
Since last seven years six Indians were crowned .Indian women haven’t suddenly and miraculously become more beautiful, and more intelligent.! It makes us wonder if our country with the world’s second largest population in the world is being taken for a ride by the MNC’s eyeing at the potential market here.
Let us consider some statistics released by the media in the last Miss World contest.
a)95% of TV viewers were Indians, rest from other countries which participated in the contest.
b)The satellite and TV rights was sponsored by ZEE TV
c)The evening gown section was sponsored by Sheetal Design Studios(Mumbai)
d)One crore air journeys were undertaken, 1, 600 crores spend through credit cards, 228 crores bottles of beverages15, 000 tonnes of Talcum powder.
e)Not to mention the markets in cosmetics have almost tripled in last five consecutive years with International brands pouring into vast markets of India
Given these facts can we expect that Ms world ranking to be objective, knowing that Ms Priyanka gave two wrong answers.?
No, I do not regard Ms. Chopra as Miss World or even Miss India. I don’t agree with this ‘exploitation of women as consumers of fashion ‘.
But then who are the real faces of beauty?. Given the choice to me, here are a few….
Ela Bhat: Recipient of Magasaysay award, Member of Rajyasabha, runs a Self Employed Women’s Association, the foremost union of unorganized women laborers in the world, a model for other such organizations everywhere. But no one knows about her .The reason: it wasn’t glamours enough. She is other face of beauty, whose women’s bank is a model acknowledged worldwide.
A Weightlifter who practiced with junk equipment given by the government, accused of being overweight, granted permission to Sydney Olympics 2000 just hours before the Indian contingent’s departure; Where the tennis duo and Indian hockey scored a blank, she won a bronze medal.
Yes! she is Karnam Malleshwari.
She is the Miss India who brought the world for us .
For me, this is inspiring!
