Members of the media were allowed to watch the swimsuit round - but it was closed to the public out of deference to the local sensibilities of the conservative exile community.

A little bit of glamour attached to the Tibetan cause will do it some good

Shailja Katoch, Miss Tibet judge

However, local opposition to the pageant, which concludes on Sunday, has already taken its toll - only four of the original 30 contestants remain.

The others are said to have dropped out due to pressure from friends and members of the community who have lambasted the contest for not being in keeping with Tibetan culture.

In the mountain town of Dharmsala most women wear ankle-length skirts and long-sleeved blouses.

'Glamour good'

Some Tibetans in exile have accused the organisers of the event of violating their people's traditions and trivialising their fight for freedom.

The Tibetan community in exile is very traditional

These claims are vehemently rejected by the pageant's organisers, who found it hard to even find judges for the contest in the community.

Lobsang Wangyal says the idea is to "highlight the Tibetan identity".

"People have been talking about swimsuits and they say it's un-Tibetan or un-Buddhist. But we say Buddhism doesn't reject this kind of thing," he told the BBC.

Also, Mr Wangyal says, there will be a round in which contestants will speak on Tibetan history, culture and current affairs. In another, they will wear traditional Tibetan costume.

One of the judges, Shailja Katoch, said the pageant would be good for exiled community's aspirations.

"I think it's a fantastic idea. A little bit of glamour attached to the Tibetan cause will do it some good."

Critics - among them the Prime Minister in exile, Samdhong Rinpoche - are not convinced.