The 72nd Miss World pageant currently being held in Telangana has ignited a storm of controversy, with viral videos and social media outrage focused on an incident that took place at the historic Ramappa Temple. What was planned as a celebration of global beauty and Indian culture has instead become a political flashpoint and the subject of intense public debate. In their eagerness, did the organizers miss a step in their quest in putting their best foot forward.
The pageant, which began on May 7 and will run until May 31, was launched with grandeur during a high-profile ceremony at Hyderabad’s Kachibowli Stadium on May 10. Organized under the auspices of the state’s Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, the event has drawn international contestants and attention. However, the spectacle has not been without its setbacks.
The controversy erupted when a group of contestants visiting the Ramappa Temple in Warangal district were welcomed by local women. Footage and reports quickly circulated online, showing women pouring water from brass basins over the feet of Miss World contestants an act that some have interpreted as symbolic subservience. One video even suggested a local woman wiped a contestant’s feet with a cloth.
The social media response was swift and scathing. “Why should Telangana women be made to wash someone else’s feet?” many users asked, expressing dismay and anger. Critics argued that the gesture, even if ceremonial, was deeply inappropriate and humiliating to the women involved. Members of the opposition Bharatiya Rashtriya Samiti (BRS) condemned the state government for allowing it to happen, calling it degrading and demanding an apology.
Former minister Sabitha Indira Reddy labeled the incident “shameful and unforgivable” in a strongly worded social media post, asserting that the dignity of Telangana women had been compromised.
In response, state officials pushed back, insisting that the narrative being circulated online was misleading. Warangal MP Kadiyam Kavya stated that what occurred was consistent with Indian traditions of hospitality, where guests are treated with reverence “Atithi Devo Bhava.”
She explained that the contestants washed their own feet as part of a temple ritual and were merely handed cloths to dry them. “No woman from Warangal was forced to serve anyone. No self-respect was violated,” she said. According to Kavya, the event organizers had provided brass basins and jugs for the ritual, and a woman from the organizing team poured water for one participant to expedite the process, which was then misrepresented on social media.
Women and Child Development Minister Danasiri Seethakka also weighed in, clarifying that the video footage was being taken out of context. “It is customary to cleanse one’s feet before entering sacred grounds,” she said, adding that given the number of visitors, assistance was provided for practical reasons. She firmly denied that local women were exploited or disrespected during the process.
Despite these explanations, the backlash hasn’t abated. Women’s organizations across Telangana have voiced opposition to the pageant from its inception. Activists from groups such as the Progressive Organization of Women (POW) and the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) have been protesting the event on ideological grounds, arguing that beauty contests objectify women and serve no meaningful public purpose.
On the opening day, May 10, several activists were detained while protesting at the Kachibowli Stadium. Prominent leaders like POW President Sandhya and AIDWA General Secretary Mallu Lakshmi were among those taken into custody. On May 14, more protesters were arrested while demonstrating at the Thousand Pillar Temple. Additional security was deployed across Hyderabad during a traditional march at Charminar, with some organizers placed under house arrest to prevent further mobilization.
Sandhya slammed the state government for what she described as misplaced priorities, highlighting pressing issues like the border situation while accusing the authorities of suppressing peaceful protest. “We’re being silenced for questioning a beauty contest while real issues go unaddressed,” she said.
Mallu Lakshmi echoed these concerns. “These events reduce women to objects. They should be banned outright,” she stated, calling for a serious re-evaluation of such international pageants hosted with state backing.
The state government has maintained its support for the event, insisting it will improve Telangana’s global standing. Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka stated that the Miss World pageant would boost the state’s international profile and attract investment and tourism.
Jayesh Ranjan, Special Principal Secretary of the Department of Tourism, dismissed the criticisms as political theater. “These controversies are being manufactured. The pageant is about showcasing the pride and heritage of Telangana,” he said, urging the public not to fall for sensationalist narratives.
Beyond the debate over the ritual, logistical issues have also frustrated local residents. Traffic restrictions in and around Hyderabad have sparked complaints, particularly in areas near the Ramappa Temple, Charminar, and Thousand Pillar Temple. Shops were reportedly closed, and roads blocked to accommodate the movement of contestant convoys.
State authorities claimed these were minor and temporary disruptions. MP Kavya reassured that all efforts were made to ensure livelihoods were unaffected and traffic stoppages were limited to ensure contestant safety. “Just like with any VIP movement, we had to take precautions,” she said.
However, motorists and business owners expressed dissatisfaction, citing hours-long delays and lost sales due to shop closures along key routes. In some cases, the authorities reportedly cleared monkeys and even beehives from temple premises as part of their security preparations.
The Miss World pageant is scheduled to continue until May 31, with contestants from over 100 countries expected to compete. While the event has brought global attention to Telangana, it has also exposed fault lines between tradition and modernity, celebration and criticism, and culture and controversy.
What was meant to be a celebration of beauty and hospitality has instead turned into a heated debate over identity, pride, and political optics. Whether the pageant achieves its goal of promoting Telangana’s global image or leaves a deeper cultural bruise remains to be seen.
