Glitzy Opening ceremony marks the start of Commonwealth Games 2014

The 20th Commonwealth Games opening ceremony was rolled out in spectacular fashion on Wednesday, 23 July, 2014 with glitzy, dazzling and colourful display of their Scottish culture and heritage with a touch of Indian flavor thrown in Glasgow.

The three-hour show of light and sound with colourful hues mesmerised not only the 40,000 spectators but also more than a billion people watching it on Television.

The head of Commonwealth countries, Queen Elizabeth II declared the 20th Commonwealth Games Open. Other dignitaries include British Prime Minister David Cameron, Commonwealth Games Federation President Prince Imran Tunku and Scottish government first minister Alex Salmond.

Scotland’s biggest sporting event is estimated to have cost the hosting country around one billion dollars. Olympian cyclist Sir Chris Hoy presented the Queens Baton to Her Majesty, who read out the message written and inserted by her in the baton about an year ago.

The Indian contingent was headed Olympic silver medallist shooter Vijay Kumar who was the flag bearer. In the Parade of Nations the men looked dapper in black blazers and gray trousers along with head gear while the women athletes wore sari’s. Indians entered with the tune of popular Bollywood numbers ‘Nagada Nagada’ and ‘Pyar do’.

The games will be competed in multiple spoting events for 11 days among 4929 athletes from 71 nations and territories of the erstwhile British Empire. Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar turned up in a brief video clip of UNICEF appealing to people to donate for the improvement of the living condition of children throughout the world.

Watch Rod Stewart, Susan Boyle, violin virtuoso Nicola Benedetti and singer-songwriter Amy McDonald and many more perform at Celtic Park, Glasgow for the Opening Ceremony of the XX Commonwealth Games.