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'Sari Queen' contest in South Africa

Fakir Hassen in Johannesburg

Scores of young South African women are in the race to be the first provincial Sari Queen, in a contest organised by a local cultural organisation in the town of Springs, about 50km east of Johannesburg.

The Bhairavi Sungum of Springs, a well-established cultural and community organisation that has been looking after the needs of the local Tamil community for more than three decades, will play host to the contest on August 25 at the local town hall.

It has lured scores of hopefuls, but the organisers have shortlisted 20 women who will be put through their paces in the evening.

"We saw a gap for an event of this nature and decided to host it with the intention of making it an annual event," said a spokesman for the Sungum, Krish Pillay. "Any profits will go to the education and welfare funds of the Sungum."

The winner will receive a floating trophy and other prizes worth more than Rand 1,000, and the top 10 contestants will also receive consolation prizes.

Three popular local Indian music and dance groups will provide entertainment in the evening.

"Next year we hope to have regional competitions resulting in a provincial contest, and hopefully even a national one later," said Pillay.

He emphasized that although the organisers were mainly from the local Tamil community, the contest was open to all participants, irrespective of linguistic, religious, or other affiliations.

Indo-Asian News Service

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