Pradeepta Adhikari is Vajrayogini.
The 23-year-old medical student, who was crowned the Miss Nepal Universe 2019 in May this year, is currently in the United States to represent Nepal at the Miss Universe pageant.
Earlier this evening, Adhikari unveiled her national costume she will be wearing in the competition. She took to Instagram to reveal the costume and explained, “Vajrayogini is a female Buddhist deity, consort of Heruka, a Dākinī (energetic beings in female form) whose essence is great passion to free all of selfishness and illusion. She is manifestation of all Buddhas wisdom of clear light with one face, two arms and red colored body. Her red-colored body symbolizes the blazing of her tummo (candali) or “inner fire” of spiritual transformation as well as life force (Shakti). The second part of the body is the bliss aspect manifested as Heruka, in blue colored body.”
Manish Rai has designed the costume and the ornaments are done by sculptor Vijay Maharjan.
“Vajrayogini ranks first and most important among the Dakinis. She is the ‘Sarva-buddha-dakini’ or simply the Dakini ‘Who is the Essence of all Buddhas’. Dakinis are represented as intangible, playful and often fierce and naked to symbolically convey how elusive true wisdom encompassing emptiness can be.”
Adhikari had left for the US last week to compete with eighty-nine other contenders from around the world. While the coronation event will take place at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta on December 8, the preliminary competition and the national costume show are scheduled to take place at Marriot Marquis on December 6.
This is Nepal’s third year in the competition after Nagma Shreshta’s big debut in 2017. Last year, Manita Devkota had created history for Nepal as she entered the top 10.
