This was the more laid back side of China, the one less robotic. It was about people. But in an altogether different manner from the clockwork dazzle of the beginning.
After the orderly precision of the Beijing Olympics, it was time at the closing ceremony on Sunday for a first look at what organisers hope will be the fun of London 2012 DNA in BeijingThe first rush is always difficult to live up to in any relationship. Beijing at its closing ceremony came close, but then nothing could have matched the precision and expanse of the opening flush of the XXIX Games.
This was the more laid back side of China, the one less robotic. It was about people. But in an altogether different manner from the clockwork dazzle of the beginning. This was an explosion of spontaneity mingled with conduct through channels that the official nature of such events demands.
The difference, between watching these things on TV and in one’s face, is the leap between technology and the eye. On TV the wide angle gives more to see, but it still does not allow enough to embrace. There it may be Technicolor but here it is colour alive.
The ceremony was psychedelic. There was far too much colour for the eye to explore and it was all far too rich to comprehend in its entirety. It was an orgy spanning the spectrum and then some beyond. There were bits and pieces of the symmetry that made the opening iconic in Olympic history but largely it was too carefree and joyous to be typically Chinese.
The London 2012 part of the show was frankly quite tacky. A double decker bus rolled in which looked nothing like the ones they have in actual and though there was Jimmy Page guitaring Led Zep’s ‘whole lotta love’, David Beckham showing his face and kicking a football, there was really nothing about the exhibition that excited. After this exhibition, London will really have to dig deep to even begin to do a Beijing as far as ceremony extravaganza goes.
With the athletes let out in a rush it became a bit of an ask to figure out the Indian flag. One never really realised that there are so many tricolours across the world with shades so very similar to ours till 203 countries marched out. Thank God for the
chakra, or else Vijender Singh threatened to get lost in the multitude of flutter out there.
While a magnitude of other contingents came in shorts and casual Ts it was an aberration to see the Indians in formal coat and pants. Athletes part of the proceedings later told DNA that they felt like overdressed fools out there but then official orders had been issued.
China’s finishing note set the seal on what has been the most spectacular Olympics what with 38 world and 85 Olympic records tumbling. And one has not even begun to talk about the organisational efficiency.
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