Because I said so

I had the good fortune of attending the CWG opening ceremony this weekend. Like most people in Delhi, I too have been hugely distressed by the CWG mess all around us – insane amount of public expenditure, corruption, negative publicity about India and putting up with so many traffic and security restrictions. So I had little intention of attending the opening ceremony. However, when I got the opportunity to get a front-row pass for this mammoth event, it was too tempting to let go.

I reached the venue quite early and was surprised by how well everything had been organized – the security checks were extensive but smooth, people were free to roam around the outer grounds of the stadium that had sufficient food outlets and souvenir shops, and there were dozens of volunteers to answer any query you had. Such customer orientation in an event organized by the government was genuinely impressive and surprising in a place like Delhi!

The show itself was spectacular – definitely the best live show I have ever seen in my life, and, most likely the best show India has ever put up. You could see the effort that had gone in the creative design of each act – the costumes of the performers, the formations, the relationship between what was happening on the field, what was being shown on the aerostat and the visuals on the two large LCD screens in the stadium. My favourite acts were The Tree of Knowledge and The Great Indian Journey. The latter was particularly enthralling – I have never seen more organized chaos on stage. What was also impressive was that for once we didn’t seem self-conscious of the sights of India – so there were labourers carrying tons of bricks, doodhwallahs on bicycles, etc. More often than not we are too proud or embarrassed to showcase these things. It was also good to have Bollywood completely missing – for one, you got to see something different and not something you anyway see so much of, and secondly, whenever there is a big star in a show, the attention shifts to him or her and not on the performance itself. Here I was actually watching and enjoying the traditional dances of India. I think over the course of the entire show, they must have shown at least 25 different dance forms of India – classical, folk, costume-based – and each one of them was a treat to watch. They were able to successfully convey the richness and diversity of India’s performing arts, and that is a commendable achievement. Another act that deserves a special mention is the on-the-spot henna painting done during Hariharan’s Swagatam performance. I am not sure how it looked on TV screens, but seeing it live was quite exciting – all those children furiously painting below that sheet and laughing while doing it, and then seeing the colours steadily emerge on that white sheet and form an intricate pattern – it looked very cool.

One of the most boring parts of the ceremony was the speeches by half a dozen different people. Yet it was worth seeing the spontaneous booing and hooting that Kalmadi got, and even more so as I could take part in that booing. Helps take out some of the pent up frustration! But it was intriguing to see the popularity that Sheila Dixit enjoys with the Delhi crowd. Every time her name was mentioned in any speech, the entire stadium would go up in applause. It was amazing. It seemed as if the CWG was heading for a disaster when the Lady in Shining Armour entered and saved the day. Yet from whatever I saw in the media, she seemed as much a part of the problem as everyone else. Earlier I was convinced that Congress is going to lose Delhi in the next assembly elections because of the CWG mess but now I am not so sure.

I rarely see live events in India. There are few that seem worth watching and the logistics challenges associated with any such event seem too daunting. But attending this opening ceremony reminded me of the unmatched energy and emotions such live events bring. Three moments stood out for me that night- first was right in the beginning when the entire stadium rose to sing India’s national anthem. I got goose-pimples in that moment as my voice joined 65,000 others and the entire stadium resonated with the sound of Jan Gan Man. Second came at the time of the CWG flag hoisting. There is something inspiring about these army ceremonies – just the kind of music played by the band, the visible rigour and detail of each little act, the way they march and turn and fold the flag and hand it over and then raise it, the pin-drop silence in the stadium, it makes me feel good. It seems to justify the elaborateness of rituals and ceremonies still followed by the army. There is something immensely positive about doing something simple in such a precise and detailed manner. The third moment was when the Indian contingent entered the stadium – the entire crowd was up on its feet and cheering and clapping. It was simply delightful. Suddenly I knew what being Indian means. The sense of belonging I felt was overwhelming.

The CWG opening ceremony was truly an experience I am likely to remember for the rest of my life. It was a rare moment and a proud one too. I am so happy I was there. In fact, I am now inspired to try and get tickets for some of the sporting events as well.

At the same time, irrespective of how successful the games are, I hope we don’t drop the ball on all the corruption and muck these games have thrown up. There is no excuse for poor planning and execution that led to last minute glitches. The guilty must be made accountable and punished.