Finally, Delhi dazzled! Commonwealth Games were a smashing hit

In my column four weeks ago, I was hoping against hope that Delhi will pull through and keep up the nation's pride by maintaining the same sense of urgency and dignity that we saw back in 1982, during the Asiad. The good wishes of millions of anxious Indians seems to have paid off — am I glad that finally Delhi dazzled!

Everybody in Delhi seemed to have done their bit. The Delhi inhabitants were up for a lot of adjustments. There were constant announcements that unless it were necessary, people should not step out of their homes. The heavy security around Delhi made it look like an army camp. Buses ran late, people reached late for work. Students were given two weeks off, as all schools shut down, to be compensated by the lack of Diwali vacations. 

Following the blast in Jama Masjid, the security tightened, nearly one lakh security personnel was deployed and the city was practically under siege!

The spectacular opening ceremony witnessed by a massive 60,000 audience, set the tone for the closing ceremony. In order to gear up for the closing which fell on a Thursday, a working day, a circular was sent out from the local government shutting down all offices shops and establishments for the day. The closing ceremony did not disappoint either! Colours, sound, song and dance routines and above all the joyous faces of the victorious athletes, made the event spectacular.

The Indian sports fraternity saved the day. They resurrected the image of the country. A total of 101 medals and finishing second to Australia overall was a clear indication of wiping off some of the shameful and shambolic prelude to the games.  The historic gold haul of tally of 38 beating England by a close shave, has now been etched in gold.  The Games themselves were not without their share of problems, however.

After the opening ceremony most of the audience vanished only to return for the closing ceremony.  Many sports events featured more participants than the audience. The TV cameras focused on the empty seats and the organizing committee sent our pleas for audience to view the Games live, which went in vain.

Thankfully the Games proceeded smoothly, with no security threat to any player or to any foreign delegate. The grumblings about the fact that athlete being given filthy inhabitable accommodation continued. Bird droppings in the swimming pool, extra kilograms added to the weigh scale that helped disqualify competitors, were some rumblings that were unrelenting during the course of the event.

The Games were supposed to have cost the country a whopping $6 billion -- with one lakh slum dwellers in Delhi having being bulldozed out of their homes to accommodate the Games infrastructure. A Games that gave Delhi a modern airport, wider roads, multiple and criss-crossing flyovers, a metro, world class stadia and sporting facilities. A Games, that cost India's image dearly as being a corruption-ridden nation.

On the flip side an event which showed the world that Delhi pulled up its socks and put up a great final act. A CWG full of grit, guts and glory. A game where the athletes were the undisputed heroes.  A sporting extravaganza which will be remembered for the right and wrong reasons for years to come, across the globe -- has finally come to a close. Happy endings!