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By: N.Samphell
I read reports on the crowning of Miss Tibet Pageant in Dharsamsala. It is the 4th year in a row and it has one and only one participant. Waw!, I thought, not a contest really. Then it flashed in my mind, we are on the right side and, perhaps, getting to the bottom of what is all about such a show. It is a positive sign and it won’t happen in Dharamsala any more.
Knowing little or knowing some thing have always been a problem. This pageant thing is one such phenomena. It has the apparent glamor and elegance attached with it and hence a lot of publicity. A prize tag, too. In this case, it is Rs. 100, 000:00. These are the psychological hooks, by so called modern intellectuals for maximum participation in it.
Behind this veil, there is the money minded capitalist world of consumerism, using such a trick for advertising their name, commercial products or to promote their business. The tourism thing is a big business venture. Isn’t it?
Fashion models and design shows are all on the same line. They show the feature, contour and the flow of human body in a particular design. And that is how to appeal and excite the on lookers to accept, appreciate and ultimately to buy and entice the viewers totally to that commodity. To make the dress appealing, they need the individuals in the design, the models, physically appealing, and sexually electrifying. That is why models are always good looking ones.
Then, there is this, called Strippers or Strip Dancers in big cities. In these shows every part of human body is on display. Even the part that we call the secret part. These are all money making tricks by tickling human sexual instinct. Tibetans consider any business based on sexual appeals as morally wrong.
The difference between these shows and beauty pageant is the degree of nudity. I suppose, the beauty pageants are less nude than strip dancers, though. But the fact of the matter is, by such shows, they are exploiting one of the human weaknesses - passion for sex, which, in our traditional Tibetan term, is Dot-Chag, one of the three poisons, that forces us always in this circling- suffering samsara. To stimulate human sexual instinct is very un-buddhist. As Buddhists, we have the culture of trying to eliminate any thing that tends to arouse the three poisons. We have been receiving instructions from our teachers, including HH the Dalai Lama on ways to control our negative emotions like sexual desire for peaceful and happier living. That is the why our Kalon Tripa Rinpoche called it un-Tibetan.
Of all the different means of making name, fame, money and even for raising awareness for Tibetan cause, Traditional Tibetans think, these are lowly, and cheap means. I appreciate the idea of promoting Tibetan cause by such participation. And of course, every one is free to organize it and participate in it, if he/she thinks right for his/her part. But do it in an appropriate place other than Dharamsala. This little hill town is more traditional and sacred than modern cities. One could organize it in a big city like Delhi, Mumbai or Bangalore for more publicity, more customers and definitely for more money. |
