Opening ceremonies blow away ranting Canadians

TORONTO - They was no more ranting by the Canadian media - which joined the country’s sports authorities in slamming India for poor preparations for the Commonwealth Games - Sunday after the opening of the sports extravaganza in New Delhi.

Changing its tune, it called the opening ceremonies “pitch-perfect” and a “showcase for its emergence as a global force”.

Writing under ‘No Delhi dallying around: Opening ceremonies rock the house’ in the country’s biggest newspaper Toronto Star, famous sports writer Randy Starkman said, “Finally, the much battered Delhi Commonwealth Games are under way - and in very fine style, too.”

As a veteran of 12 Olympic Games (winter and summer) and many Commonwealth and Pan Am extravaganzas as well, he said, “I have generally made it a policy to avoid opening and closing ceremonies. Just not my kind of thing - plus I am afraid if I do show up, they will make me write about them and I don’t do pomp and pageantry that well. And there are many that do.”

But blown away by the opening ceremonies Sunday, he said, “The opening ceremonies here were a real treat and my favourite moment was when the image of Gandhi appeared on the scene, a vision of serenity amid what has mostly been chaos until now.

“I have to say I have been impressed so far by the incredible friendliness and helpfulness of the volunteers in trying to make this work.”

Calling it an unblemished opening ceremony after ” breathlessly bad few weeks,” the paper said, “It was an evening to celebrate India’s ancient music and dance, its dazzling modern technology…”

The paper added, “As Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh settled into his seat next to Prince Charles, the ceremonies got underway at 7 pm - right on time - with a series of fireworks that lit up the night sky. Athletes soon began their slow march into the stadium following a series of dance and music performances and the only questions left unanswered seemed to be: would the $16-million helium blimp hovering overhead stay afloat, and how would the audience react to the arrival of Pakistan, India’s neighbour and arch rival.

“Turned out there was no problem on either front.”

It said, “The blimp, covered in mirrors and cameras, was a technological marvel and displayed a visual crawl of the nations’ flags as they were announced. Pakistan, meantime, received one of the largest cheers of the night, trailing only the host nation India.”

The newspaper said though Indians are obsessed with cricket, “the Commonwealth Games will serve as a showcase for its emergence as a global force.”

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), the country’s biggest broadcaster, said the Games opened in “grand style with elements that moved from ancient to modern-day.”

(Gurmukh Singh can be contacted at gurmukh.s@ians.in)