New Delhi: Commonwealth Games off to a Spectacular Start

With Inputs from TNN
Pics: NDTV

New Delhi, Oct 3 (IANS): The wait is finally over. The biggest Commonwealth Games so far was inaugurated by Prince Charles and President Pratibha Patil at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi.

Watched by millions across the globe, the 19th Commonwealth Games got off to a spectacular start here Sunday evening amid traditional Indian music, dance and a burst of colour at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in the heart of the city.

Britain's Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Indian President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh watched as 1,000 drummers stirred up a thumping beat, puppets danced in the air and thousands of children gathered at the packed stadium to sing a welcome to the world.

After the Indian national anthem was sung, the opening act, "Rhythm of India", set the mood for the much awaited sports event with electrifying energy.

The 'shankh naad' (auspicious blowing of conch shells) and fireworks then lit the sky like dawn.

A helium aerostat crowned the stadium and suspended puppets danced to life when drummers from across the country gathered in unison claiming that India has arrived.

Celebrating the best of India, seven-year-old Keshava from Puducherry drummed up beats on his tabla, his fingers flying in rhythm and watched by a capacity crowd that had packed into the stadium to watch the Games begin.

As the "Rhythms of Life" came into life and the drummers filed out, Indian schoolchildren took centrestage and, led by well-known vocalist Hariharan, sang out "Su Swagatam" to welcome the 6,700 athletes as well as officials and visitors to the city.

The song reached a crescendo with a Sufiana qawwali, illustrating the charms of syncretic, secular India.

They formed a "namaste", the age-old Indian greeting with hands folded, in the vast field. A collective roar echoed in the stadium as the participants, in a rapid fluid movement, held aloft white sheets to splash red paint and show up intricate henna designs.

All along the ceremony, the moving lights on the helium balloon continued to change their hues, projecting life size revolving images of the action on the ground.

With the welcome over, it was the turn of the athletes parade.

Dressed in the colours of their country, the athletes from 71 countries and territories filed past the appreciative crowd, waving and cheering.

An impregnable security blanket of 7,500 personnel, including commandos, has been thrown over the grand Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, the venue of today's opening ceremony of the 19th Commonwealth Games.

As one enters the stadium, the only thing visible are the gun-toting security personnel including many in battle fatigues standing besides banners with Games motto 'Come out and Play' written on them.

Numerous check points have been set up along the route with vehicles being strictly kept off from the vicinity of the stadium with 65,000 spectators including Prince Charles, President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and foreign diplomats among other VIPs.