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A dazzling, colourful, high-octane opening ceremony that was part Bollywood, part cultural extravaganza, did much to dispel the nightmares of the past fortnight, thrilling a sell-out crowd in the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium as well as the athletes and officials from 71 Commonwealth nations.
Minutes before the start of the ceremony, the stadium announcer read out a list of rules for spectators, including the stern warning: "Do not use unparliamentary language."
But the crowd was too high-spirited to engage in profanities, despite having to endure hour-long queues in 35C temperatures for bags to be searched and bodies to be patted down.
A staggering 100,000 security personnel were on duty outside the stadium.
The opening athletes' parade began with 2006 hosts Australia and ended with India. Predictably, the biggest cheer came when the Indian team brought up the rear of the athletes' parade, though there was also a warm reception for the English team suitably attired in Indian long shirts, or kurta.
It was a nice gesture to the Indian hosts.
Prince Charles and Indian President Pratibha Patil announced the Games open, but organising committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi was jeered by the crowd. The build-up to the Games had been blighted by concerns that venues and accommodation may not be completed.
However, the glittering opening ceremony, which charted both the heritage and present-day experience of India and featured about 9,000 performers, went smoothly.
But there was one person in the stadium who found it an uncomfortable night after being roundly booed as he rose to make the opening speech during the formal part of the proceedings.
"India is ready," proclaimed the hapless Kalmadi, adding: "There have been many challenges but we have been able to rise above them all.
"Despite the adverse publicity on health, safety, rain and security, all the Commonwealth associations have stood by India as we have put together the biggest Games in Commonwealth history. India is ready, ready to host the Commonwealth Games."
Kalmadi emphasised the legacy that will be left by the Games. But the hostile reaction from spectators, prompting a quizzical look from the Prince of Wales, showed exactly what they thought of such crowing.
After revelations of 'filthy' living conditions in the athletes' village, incomplete venues and malfunctioning technology - all during Kalmadi's tenure - what should have been a showcase of India's emerging economic power turned into a PR disaster.
It has been estimated that as much as $6 billion has been spent (60 times the original estimate when the Games were awarded in 2003) on infrastructure such as a new airport and metro system.
Prince Charles described the staging of the 19th edition of the Games in India as 'particularly fitting' as he spoke on behalf of the Queen. His message to the crowd arrived as the Queen's baton completed a 112,000-mile relay that began almost a year ago at Buckingham Palace.
There had been reports in the Indian media, denied by British diplomats, that there had been disagreement over whether the Prince or President Patil would officially open the Games. In the event Prince Charles declared the Games open, before President Patil finished her speech by saying 'let the Games begin' to the accompaniment of fireworks.
The opening ceremony was a spectacular night of dance, music and pyrotechnics, rounded off by a performance of the Slumdog Millionaire song Jai Ho by Oscar-winning singer-composer A R Rahman, the so-called 'Mozart of Madras'.
It was a truly lavish production that set a new benchmark for Commonwealth Games opening ceremonies just as Beijing took the Olympics curtain-raiser to new heights two years ago.
It even managed to start on time, to the very second, proving there are some deadlines that the Commonwealth Games organisers are capable of meeting.
