JOIN USIsn’t it fun to be inside a transparent, inflatable ball, rolling on a sloppy area or literally walking on the water and watch the world roll over? When it comes to adventure sports, Bengalureans are constantly trying out new and exciting sports and zorbing is getting popular by the day. This new-age recreational activity sees the rider get into an inflatable, transparent ball called ‘zorb’ and roll down either on a gentle slope or on the water. Also called orbing, sphering or globe-riding, these zorb balls are found in many malls in the City, where mostly children between the age group of 5 to 12 are seen indulging in. However, this sport is not restricted to children. The less adventurous go for the option of choosing the land or level zorbing and for the ones looking for a more enthralling experience, there is water zorbing, where you bob on the water, giving you an experience of literally walking on the water.
There are adventurous groups, resorts and malls which offer this recreational sport which caters to different age groups. Shane, a professional who loves zorbing, however feels that the City is not fully equipped with facilities like large space and proper water bodies to make zorbing a full-term recreational sport. “Although, we have a few places which offer zorbing, the duration and the sufficient space are still lacking. If we have proper facilities, zorbing will surely become very popular. I also wish that those who are offering this sport extend the duration to actually experience the thrill of the sport.”
Gopalan Mall, which offers zorbing for children has seen a lot of demand since its inception, that is one-and-a-half years ago. Prabhakar, director of the Mall says, “Since it’s done in a safe environment and there is no skill required, children really enjoy the sport. The only glitch here is, if the children are full-stomached when they are inside the ball, they tend to feel dizzy and uncomfortable.”
Giri C, another adventure-enthusiast, enjoyed the experience of zorbing in a resort located in Bengaluru. “It was a new sport that I had never tried before. So it was really exciting and a lot of fun. With more adventurous groups coming up in the City, zorbing is sure to gain momentum,” he says.
Land zorbing is generally done on a lawn or on the sand on a sloppy surface. For land zorbing, there is a harness given to the rider in order to avoid falling. Water zorbing has just a single participant but the land zorbing can be performed with two participants.
Discovery Village, an eco-conscious adventure company offers zorbing packages and those in the age group of 20 to 35 are mostly seen indulging in it. Asher Nirmal Kumar, training manager, suggests some safety measures that one should take before zorbing. “People with asthma or wheezing are advised to stay away from this sport as the ball is zipped, leaving no air to enter the ball which would cause suffocation for those suffering from respiratory aliments. Another important factor is the person who handles the ball should make sure that he does not take the ball too close to the sides or edges. As there is a lack of balance on the part of rider, when the ball hits the wall or goes into the edges, it would hurt the rider,” he adds.
Preethi Ravi