It's cold but chilly promises a hot show

One could feel the goosepimples at the flag hoisting ceremony in the Commonwealth Games Village in Parksville here.

As the sound of the didjirido, an aboriginal wind instrument, faded out with the fading sky, and as the players stood up for the National Anthem, the thrill of the moment was vivid on everyone's face.

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One could feel the goosepimples at the flag hoisting ceremony in the Commonwealth Games Village in Parksville here.

"As soon as the Anthem fills the air, it sounds like a bugle that wakes you up for the real battle," said Olympic silver medallist Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore at the Games Village here on Monday. So true! Finally, the bugle is sounded.

"Yes, it's one emotional moment of the Games," said Manchester Games silver medallist pugilist Som Bahadur Pun. But what comes along with it is also the anticipation. "The adrenaline starts flowing," said Pun.

Rathore, who will be leading the Indian contingent at the Opening ceremony on Wednesday, looked calm as usual. "It's a great honour to lead the contingent and I know everybody will be looking up to me. But that doesn't add pressure, it also acts as a motivating factor," said the double trap shooter. Rathore, who put in a lot of effort in the lead-up to the Games, sounded confident and felt Indian shooters would definitely come up with more medals.