Women Defy 'Culture' Police in Rishikesh, Triumph at Miss Rishikesh Pageant

A group of young women preparing for the Miss Rishikesh beauty pageant faced an abrupt confrontation when Raghvendra Bhatnagar, president of the Rashtriya Hindu Shakti Sangathan, stormed their rehearsal venue with cameramen in tow. His directive was clear: “The dress rehearsal is over. You can all go home.” Citing objections to the event as contrary to “Indian culture,” Bhatnagar demanded the women abandon their participation. However, the contestants, led by Muskan Sharma, who later won the pageant, stood their ground in a powerful display of defiance that culminated in the event’s success.

In a viral video capturing the incident, Muskan challenged Bhatnagar’s hypocrisy, questioning why he did not target shops selling cigarettes and alcohol instead of harassing the women. “Why don’t you shut the shops where these clothes are sold?” she retorted, highlighting the selective outrage. Supported by fellow contestants and organizers, Muskan’s resolve ensured the pageant proceeded as planned, with Bhatnagar leaving empty-handed.

The confrontation underscores a broader struggle for women’s agency in India, where female representation remains low—14% in Parliament and less than 6% in the higher judiciary. Beauty pageants, often criticized for commodifying women, also represent platforms of choice and opportunity. Icons like Zeenat Aman, Sushmita Sen, and Aishwarya Rai leveraged such events to launch successful careers, inspiring women like Muskan in smaller towns to pursue ambitions in modeling and film.

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Bhatnagar’s objections, cloaked in the guise of protecting “culture,” reflect a deeper resistance to women’s freedom and aspiration. The official pageant attire—saris or lehengas—belied claims about inappropriate clothing, as form-fitting rehearsal outfits were used solely for posture correction. Notably, no similar objections were raised against the Mr. Rishikesh contest, where male participants wore minimal clothing, exposing the gendered double standard.

The women’s pushback resonates with Uttarakhand’s legacy of female activism, from Gaura Devi’s Chipko movement in the 1970s to Icchagiri Mai’s protests against local alcohol shops. These historical precedents highlight women’s roles in challenging systemic constraints. Yet, the need to cite “parental consent” during the altercation reflects the growing pressures of a nanny state, with laws like anti-conversion regulations and mandatory relationship registrations curbing personal freedoms.

The National Family Health Survey-5 reveals that one in three women faces domestic violence, challenging the notion that home is a safe haven. For the women of Rishikesh, the pageant stage was not just about beauty but about asserting their right to dream beyond societal confines. Their victory sends a clear message to self-appointed cultural custodians: young women, armed with education and ambition, are reclaiming their space. The events in Rishikesh may mark the beginning of a broader movement, echoing the resilience of Uttarakhand’s women who have long fought for their rightful place under the sky.

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