ONE of the judges puffed on a cigar. Another, a female MP, chain-smoked cigarettes. A third, the apparent recipient of several botched facelifts, looked on, only her eyebrows moving. The atmosphere was tense, the judges' eyes glued to the women parading in front of them.
Welcome to Baghdad's first post-war public beauty pageant. Amid the chaos, bombs and insecurity, finding Baghdad's most beautiful girl was not a task the judges took lightly.
"It is a good thing we are doing this," Noor Samir, a 24-year-old conte
stant, said with a smile. "It is my first time."
Ms Samir's outfit of knee-length skirt teamed with knee-length boots seemed modest for a beauty contest, and there were certainly no bikinis on display, but this being Baghdad the very fact a pageant was being held at all was cause for celebration.
A year ago, when sectarian violence was at its peak, and girls were killed for having their heads uncovered, the openness of this contest would have been unimaginable. As the 14 contestants walked on stage and answered questions from the five judges, the Iraqi media avidly filmed every scene.
Although Iraq has a long history of beauty pageants and at least one has been held since Saddam Hussein's overthrow in 2003, that event was shrouded in secrecy and a media ban.
The latest contest, held at Baghdad's Hunting Club, an exclusive establishment with swimming pools, tennis courts, sauna and bar selling imported spirits and beer, attracted guests from Baghdad's elite.
One contestant, Samara Mohammed, a 23-year-old secretary who fled to Germany, only returned in May this year.
"The security has improved and we hope it will get more and more. It's a nice thing that I am here. All my friends and family are supporting me," she said.
Although the event was a family affair, the girls still gained the attention of groups of appreciative young men who shouted encouragement from the corners.
"She is beautiful," Ahassan Anar, a 32-year-old hairdresser, said of Ms Mohammed. "I hope I can cut her hair."
The girls and the decor reflected the tastes of modern Iraq. The contestants exhibited fuller figures than their western counterparts and the hall was awash with fluorescent lights.
Shamss Tallal, an elfin 18-year-old, drew whistles of approval from the audience during the question-and-answer stage.
"She is very beautiful," 20-year-old Salwan said. His friend, Hussain, also 20, clutched his heart and mimed it beating fast as he looked at her longingly.
"I don't know her, but she is the most popular," a third friend, Ahmad, 19, said.
Ms Tallal won the contest to become Miss Baghdad Hunting Club, with a straw poll of audience members revealing she was also the people's choice.
Also in the audience was Kassim al-Sultan, one of Iraq's most famous singers and a favourite of Saddam. He only returned to the country from exile last week, and will play his first concert since 2003 this month.
"Iraq is like a person who has undergone surgery and is now recovering," he said.
Under Saddam, three lion statues stood outside the club, representing the dictator and his sons, Uday and Qusay. It is said that Uday, known for murdering anyone who upset him and for stealing men's wives, held outrageous parties there.
The full article contains 567 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
