TheSportsCampus

After weeks of excitement at various venues, of wins for personal glory and national pride, of an exhibition of sports and sportsmanship, curtains finally came down on the Commonwealth Games 2006.

It was now time to party and Melbourne did it in style. India too was invited and it donned its most glamorous face, the face of Bollywood, for the party, at which it had 11 minutes all to itself, to wow the spectators.

These ambassadors were also on a very special mission, to invite Melbourne and representatives of all other commonwealth countries to the next Commonwealth Games extravaganza, at which India will play host in 2010-four years hence. None other than actress Aishwarya Rai, considered one of the most beautiful women in th e world, led the contingent from Bollywood, brought in by India. The Delhi segment was a blend of Bollywood and tradition in a riot of colours. A unique and irresistible invitation to the Commonwealth to come to New Delhi in 2010.

Without doubt Melbourne put its best foot forward to host the games,leaving people with great memories to carry back, both on and off the field,but from now on, for the next four years all eyes will be on New Delhi.

The Indian segment has been in the making for months and the dancers, more than 400 of them, were picked from among the local Indians. They were trained and put through their paces by the likes of India's choreographer par excellence Shiamak Davar. The whole endeavour was given shape by Wizcraft, in what was one of their biggest shows.

The India segment led off with Isha Sharwani, daughter of dancer Daksha Seth and Australian composer, Vissaro. Isha's performance was a yoga-inspired dance.

And then Aishwarya Rai, straddling between Bollywood and Hollywood, took over and enchanted the 75,000-odd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) with a dance number.

Next it was Saif Ali Khan, who has become a well known star here after his film 'Salaam Namaste', which was shot entirely in Melbourne. He combined with Rani Mukherjee to dance to the tune of the special number, "Delhi Dhamaal' scripted by well-known lyricists, Gulzar and Javed Akhtar.

The number itself was performed to high-energy bhangra music.

But before the razzmatazz of the Indian segment, there was the traditional handover. Ron Walker's speech was followed by the Commonwealth Games flag being lowered, accompanied by the Wurudjeri Farewell song by a children's choir.

After folding the flag, the flag party, presented it to Melbourne's mayor John So, who passed it to Steve Bracks, the premier of Victoria and he in turn passed it to Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit.

The flag changed hands once again and came to Suresh Kalmadi, chairman of the Organising Committee of 2010 games who then handed it to Randhir Singh, vice-chairman of the committee. Symbolically, the flag and responsibility of Commonwealth Games passed on to next host, New Delhi, India, which officially accepted the Games Federation flag ahead of the 2010 event in Delhi.

A beaming Kalmadi, in his address to the crowd at the MCG, said: "Melbourne 2006 has set high standards, and Delhi too shall deliver a fantastic Games in 2010."

"Thank you Melbourne - you people were truly very friendly. Thank you volunteers - you did a magnificent job. And now for a glimpse of what awaits you in Delhi."(before the Indian troupe's performance)

Earlier on, 12 days ago, in the opening ceremony of the games, it was befitting that Melbourne's 2006 Commonwealth Games began with a tribute to backyard cricket and at the closing ceremony the Melburnians paid tribute to their other great pastime - footy, Australian Rules Football.

Paul Kelly, one of Australia's most famous singers, sang the 'Rally Round The Drum' as Melbourne's official farewell to the games, followed by the ballerinas, the skipping girls, the acrobats, and much else. Then as he sang, "I'm high on the hill, looking over the bridge to the MCG," he broke into leaps and bounds.

The song was accompanied by six Melbourne icons including the flame towers at South bank, the Skipping Girl sign in Victoria Street, Richmond (represented by young skipping girls); Flinders Street Station (commuters hurrying about); the Melbourne Cup (glamorous women with hats, and jockeys on hobby horses); Luna Park (children feeding ping pong balls to clowns), the Arts Centre spire (Shakespearean characters); the Royal Exhibition Buildings (Victoria's Fruit Fly Circus performing) and the Formula One Grand Prix (kids in F1 car costumes).

The Commonwealth Games Federation president Michael Fennell, then announced the most outstanding athlete. The David Dixon Award, named after a former federation administrator, went to Indian ace shooter Samaresh Jung, who won an incredible five gold medals in shooting events, as well as a silver and a bronze.

Finally, it was left to Prince Edward, the vice-patron of the CGF, to end the formalities. "In the name of the Commonwealth Games Federation, I proclaim the 18th Commonwealth Games, Melbourne 2006, closed," he announced to rousing cheers.

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File Photograph Copyright: Toby Forage