NEW DELHI  The Commonwealth Games, which opened 12 days ago with the world bracing for the worst, managed to conclude on Thursday without any of the predicted embarrassment or disaster. Stadiums did not collapse. Terrorists did not strike. Fears of disease went mostly unrealized. And the closing ceremony was a stirring success.

Indeed, some officials who before the games fought over who should be blamed are now fighting over who should get credit. The sniping suggested that much of India’s political class, rather than being chastened by the glaring failures in preparations and the huge cost overruns, seemed inclined to declare victory, raising the question of what lessons, if any, they absorbed.

Even before the opening ceremony, one domestic commentator declared India’s performance as host as “largely acceptable,” and that seemed to equate to good enough. It was not ringing praise, but it did reflect the imperfect if face-saving comeback made by Indian officials after a games prelude so disorganized and poorly prepared that several nations threatened not to show up.

In the end, every nation came and the events went off relatively smoothly. If minor problems persisted, like flaws with the ticketing system, the public mood seemed to shift from anger at the official folly before the games to excitement over Indian athletes’ success.