There was jubilation as well as some disappointment at Parvathy Omanakuttan's ancestral village in Kerala when she was adjudged the first runner-up at the Miss World pageant held in South Africa, missing the crown by a whisker.

Close to two dozen close relatives of Parvathy had converged at her mother's home in Madapally village in Kottayam district to watch the event on TV Saturday.

Leading the pack of supporters was Shantakumari, Parvathy's maternal grandmother.

Prior to witnessing the event on TV, close family members visited a few temples to offer prayers for Parvathy's success.

Those present couldn't contain their joy when Parvathy's name was announced in the five semi finalists.

Then followed tense moments as they waited for the winner to be announced, and when the news came that she was the first runner up, not everyone was happy.

"Anyway, we are happy that she came second. If she had not won anything then it would have been bad. We are happy with what she has won, " Shantakumari said.

Parvathy impressed the jury with her looks and quick wit and was one of the five finalists out of the 109 contestants at the Sandton Convention Center. However, she was finally beaten by Miss Russia.

India had high hopes on 21-year-old Parvathy to win the crown that last came to the country in 2000.

India boasts of Miss Worlds like Rita Faria (1966), Aishwarya Rai (1994), Diana Hayden (1997), Yukta Mookhey (1999) and Priyanka Chopra (2000).