Ice skating season begins at Asia’s largest natural rink in Shimla

Shimla: Shimla’s winter charm was elevated with the commencement of the season's first ice skating session on Wednesday. Skating enthusiasts gathered at Asia’s largest natural ice skating rink here to enjoy the thrill of gliding across the ice.

The ice skating season began on December 18 last year and was initially scheduled to start on December 9 this year. However, heavy rains and snow disrupted the schedule, delaying the opening by two days.

Clear skies and low temperatures are necessary for the ice rink to form. Although water started freezing and a trial session was successfully conducted on December 8, the inclement weather delayed the official start.

The sharp drop in temperatures following the snowfall proved beneficial for skating enthusiasts, as the water froze again within two days, creating a thick layer of ice.

After a successful trial session 2-3 days ago, the first morning session officially began today, said Rajat Malhotra, organizing secretary of the Shimla Ice Skating Club. "Evening sessions will start in 4-5 days if the weather remains favourable," he said, adding that the crowd will increase once school examinations are over.

The Shimla Ice-Skating Club currently has around 300 members.

Juvan, a teenager born and raised in Shimla who has been skating since she was five, shared that school and college students eagerly await the ice skating season each winter. "We may feel lazy about going to school or college, but when it comes to skating, we're always the first ones there," she said.

Rajan Chauhan (58), a skater with 28 years of experience, said that one doesn’t feel cold once on the rink."We are expecting that the season to go on until January 26," he added.

Clear skies and low temperatures -- typically below 4 to 5 degrees Celsius -- are ideal for freezing the ice. However, construction activities near the rink, particularly the demolition of the Rivoli Theater, which used to block direct sunlight, have created challenges for ice formation.

December 2016 was the warmest in Shimla’s history, with maximum temperatures reaching 22 degrees Celsius, severely affecting the ice skating season. That year, only six sessions were held.

In contrast, the maximum number of sessions, 118, was recorded in the 1997-98 season, while the minimum, 12 sessions, occurred in 1972.

Climate change, global warming and reckless construction in the area, along with pollution from the nearby bus stand, are posing significant threats to the rink.

According to skaters, ongoing construction, felling of trees and the presence of construction material in the rink have reduced the available skating space.

The history of the ice rink, which spans the size of five tennis courts (58 metres by 30 metres), dates back to 1920. It was originally a tennis court before being converted into a natural ice skating rink by an Irish military officer, Blessington. During the winter months, when he sprinkled water on the tennis court to settle the grass, it froze almost instantly, after which he thought of transforming the area into an ice skating rink.