The Opening Ceremony of the East Commonwealth Olympics in Spitalfields Market promised "bagpipers, dhol drummers, dancers and music" and "fun". The appointed hour was 12.30. A few people sat eating lunches on the benches that, joined-up by a red double-decker bus, formed a circle around the potential ceremony space. A red carpet in the centre of the space hinted at potential festivities, but not a lot else did apart from a couple of blokes who shouted "Come on!", this despite there being no-one very obvious to shout at. Soon a few photographers gathered. A bagpipier and some organising people appeared and discussed matters. A security guard told me that the ceremony would begin at 1.15 and that people were there early because the TV had advertised 12.30. I wanted to point out that people were more likely to be here early because 12.30 was the time advertised in the "East Festival" brochure, on their website and in Time Out, but managed not to. Well, alright, nearly. I mentioned the brochure. I asked him if it was just the bagpiper. He said it was.
Happily this man knew bugger all. The lone bagpiper was one of many pipers and drummers forming the fabulous Indian-Scottish Shree Muktajeevan Pipe Band (find out about them at
swaminarayangadi.com/smpb). For fifteen minutes or so they circled and weaved around the red carpet, playing Indian and Scottish tunes, before lining up as shown below and giving way to the dancers.
The East Commonwealth Olympics (Closing Ceremony tomorrow evening) featured such sports as Bicycle Polo - last seen in the main Olympics at London 1908 - and Kabaddi, a 4,000-year-old Indian team sport that is apparently best described as a cross between wrestling and rugby. It was part of the six-day East festival, championing arts in East London.
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