Skating season opens in Shimla

The ice skating season officially opened in the chilly morning hours on Thursday in Shimla, home to Asia’s largest natural ice skating rink. The rink was quality tested on Wednesday by skating veterans and a few tourists. As the weather was deemed conducive, ice skating, which is a major attraction here, began during the day, said Rajat Malhotra, the secretary of Shimla Ice Skating Club.

Morning sessions would be held from 8 am to 10 am, depending on the quality of the ice. Evening sessions would soon begin in the days to come, he said. Malhotra said the winter carnival and annual gymkhana (competitions) would be organised in December and January, respectively.

In the past few years, skating activities began in the second week of December. Last year, the ice skating season commenced on December 18, and in 2023, it began on December 11.

A clear sky and temperatures below 4 degrees Celsius are the most conducive prerequisites for ice formation, but construction activity in the vicinity of the rink and the demolition of Rivoli Theatre above it have posed a challenge.

Skating enthusiasts Drishya, Aditya and Joanne said they wait for the winters the whole year, and expressed hope for a long skating season. The subscription fee for the full season for seniors and juniors (aged under 16) is `3,000 and `1,800, said Manpreet Singh, the president of the ice skating club, which has around 300 members.