Another bonanza for Nashville –The Himalayan Fest 2015
By R N Bista
FEATURE: Alongside Interstate soccer, starting in 19-21 June this year, music buffs and ardent ‘devotees’ of ‘brain n beauty’, are expected to beat the days’ heat in Nashville, US.
In the first two days, some prominent Bhutanese music makers will groove the crowd. The varying list of contests such as singing, dancing, short movies and such others are expected to rule the days.
The third day is presumed to come with much ruptures and excitement. Bhutanese beauties, aged between the age of 18 -26, will parade catwalks in the midst of jeering crowd and a panel of judges. Amid some musical vibes from a seasoned Disc Jockey (DJ), the aspiring girls vying to compete for the coveted crown—Miss Bhutan USA (2015) –will eventually flaunt their extensively hyped “ brain n beauty ” in the later rounds.
As a warm up to the show, Miss Bhutan USA 2014, Prakriti Rai along with other beauticians, will be called in to tutor and groom the new contestants coming from across the US. A bevy of damsels are expected to ‘twist, twirl and swirl’ with some predictably titillating moves as a part of annual Bhutanese extravaganza. Eventually, the bash is said to be concluded with a horde of swiveling crowd on the floor against the mounting decibels emanating from high-end music boxes.
“We’d lived a life for years that had absolutely no taste at all”, reveals Rajen Giri, one of the founding members of the Fest, during the sidelines of the promo-night held on 29 March in Nashville. ‘But today, we are rolling beyond the necessity of a basic living and therefore we’re looking for something else that is globally trending’.
When asked about the intent and relevance of the Himalayan Fest, Naresh Dahal, the lead organiser in the host State, Tennessee, said that it was all about bringing, preserving and demonstrating the entire Himalayan culture at one place at least once in a year. He also reiterated that the Fest is bent on preparing a common platform for young boys and girls pursuing goals in the different fields of arts. He said rationale behind ‘pushing the girls towards the ramp’ was to bestow them with a appropriate soapbox to display their glamour and intellect.
Asked about the likelihood of overlapping of schedules with soccer, the organiser said that the Fest for each of the three days would begin only after the matches are over. It is understood that motive behind organising the Fest in line with soccer is to cash in with a substantial number of audience coming in from far and wide. However, the two organising committees (the Soccer and the Fest) have not sat together to find a common agenda so far.
It is also learnt that some spicy-hot buffet and beverages will be served at a fairly reasonable price. However, in view of getting hold of the entire crowd till the end without any mishaps, hard drinks would not go off the legal limits.
The website of the Fest says that The Himalayan Festival USA is an annual event organised for the people of the Himalayan region living in the US. This event has been initiated to promote our rich cultural heritage, and to provide an accessible platform for our younger generation to showcase their talents through sports, music, dance, acting, modeling, and more.
Last year, the Himayan Festival was organised at Houston, Texas between June 13-15 with Prakriti Rai being crowned as the First Miss BhutanUSA -2014.
Bhutan News Network is the media partner of the event.