Sun Nov 17 01:15:08 UTC 2024: ## Miss Universe India’s Golden Bird Costume Captures Global Attention
**MEXICO CITY** – The national costume round of the Miss Universe 2024 competition has captivated internet audiences, with India’s representative, Ria Singha, a standout. Singha, crowned Miss Universe India earlier this year, wore a dazzling costume inspired by “The Golden Bird,” a symbol of India’s prosperous past.
Designed by Vietnamese designer Nguyen Ngoc Tu, the meticulously crafted outfit celebrates India’s Golden Age, a period of significant wealth and international trade. Tu described the design as a labor of love and an opportunity to strengthen bilateral ties between Vietnam and India. The costume draws inspiration from the imagery of the golden bird, a historical emblem of India’s prosperity.
Historians and experts weighed in on the symbolism. Bestselling history writer and astrologer Manoshi Sinha explained that the moniker “Golden Bird” (Son Chiriya) reflected India’s immense wealth in ancient times, fueled by flourishing international trade and prestigious institutions like Taxila, Nalanda, and Vallabhi, which attracted students worldwide. Abundant natural resources and fertile lands further contributed to India’s prosperity, she added. Sinha cited British historian Angus Maddison and Swiss economic historian Paul Bairoch, who both described India as the world’s most productive region and one of the wealthiest nations, respectively, from 1 CE to 1600 CE.
Performance storyteller and author Kamal Kabuliwala further elaborated on the symbolism, noting that “Golden Bird” represented wealth, prosperity, and vibrant culture. The association with gold, a symbol of wealth before the advent of paper currency, and a bird, signifying freedom, contributed to the potent symbolism. The phrase itself evolved through history, appearing in various contexts from the Vedic period to the Mauryan Empire and beyond. The Gupta era, in particular, is often considered India’s Golden Age, characterized by high demand for Indian goods across continents and a thriving global economy.
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