After weeks of chaos and billions of dollars, India launches the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Read the full story here.

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Drummers perform during the Opening Ceremony for the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on October 3, 2010 in Delhi, India.

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Indian athletes wave during the opening ceremony of the XIX Commonwealth Games. India's Commonwealth Games, plagued by months of chaos and embarrassing blunders, confidently threw off its troubles in a glittering opening ceremony. Prince Charles officially declared open the 11-day event which features 7,000 athletes from 71 nations competing in 17 sports. A crowd of 60,000 packed into a steamy Jawharlal Nehru Stadium to soak up the showpiece ceremony which was aimed at celebrating India's 8,000 years of history as well as its recent, headlong rush towards commercial power.

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Entertainers perform during the Opening Ceremony for the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Anupam Nath / AP
An Indian family watches a TV showing the opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Games at home in New Delhi, India, Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010.


Top picture: "From the land of Lilliput.
The opening ceremony is an excellent show. Its shows 5000 years of Indian culture. It is delight to watch. Amidst corruption charges, India has put this pompus show in front of the world.
Third picture: "All Indian Raj Time Band"
2nd Picture: "Grupees"