Shrabasti Mallik takes a tour of Ski India, a sci-fi themed snow planet in Noida and comes back almost frozen with a real ice-capped experience
When we took the toboggan down the snow slope, we had no idea that by the time we reached the bottom we would be on our bellies. That’s how unpredictable, and not to mention fun, a slide down a snowy, slippery slope is. And try as you may, but there is no way you can get back on your feet in the first try. You think we are talking of a real location, somewhere in the HimalayasIJ
While people in Delhi/NCR were sweltering in a blazing temperature of 42 degrees, we were trying hard not to get our hands frozen and managing to barely save our dignity by not slipping on ice and landing on our backs. Right here in Noida, and more specifically at Ski India, India’s first Sci-Fi themed Snow Planet in DlF Mall of India.
It is a planet, alright. And it has its own unique species of creatures, too. You can meet Dr Kit and D-Fly, the super inter-galactic penguins and Z-Timo (Snow Planet’s version of an eskimo) and Orran, whose voice will guide you through the “planet” and all the snow-filled adventures you can be a part of.
This unique land of dreams has been conceptualised and brought to life by Chiliad Procons, the people behind Mumbai’s Snow World. The idea for Ski India began there and it took two years of relentless hard work to get this experience started. “It has taken a lot of determination to make this possible in NCR, where the estimated population is over three crore,” said Prasuk Jain, co-founder and managing director of Ski India. He added, “The winter themed sports activities, so far, have been untapped, pan-India. Therefore, we decided to conceptualise an all year round indoor snow sport resort introducing indoor skiing for the first time in India,” thanking the string team of creative designers and engineers behind turning the idea into reality.
The entire look of the arcade is very international, with a huge space given to the storage of proper snow clothes — jackets, gloves and boots — in all sizes. The temperature inside the planet is -15 degrees because, face it, you are in outer space. And the ice! How can we forget the ice. It is real like. You skid, slip, fall and everything. Although the layer of snow is not that deep, where you have to pull your leg out or can build a snowman, but it is enough to engage in a snow fight with.
Although our fingers were going numb and smoke billowing out of our mouths and nostrils, there was no stopping us from taking pictures. Trust us, you will want to take pictures, plenty of them, either with the reindeer sledge with a big snowman on it or with the figurines of the inter-galactic species strewn all over the snow floor.
To get the place to freeze at that temperature through the year was an arduous task but the makers did not make any compromise in bringing in the latest international technology and installing more than the required number of coolers and AC’s.
It is no less than a snow resort where you can choose from various gradient tubes, toboggan down a 100 feet slope (or take the bob sledge) and have fun. “Escape from the heat outside for sometime,” Benny, from the design team put it.
He took us through the special cave, housing more species from the planet. We imagined walking and moving creatures but they were figurines. But we were amazed to see several versions of penguins and eskimos — exhibited in a snowy area.
This snow park opens to the public around next week and tickets are priced at Rs 1,200 (per head) for a one hour and 45 minutes of frozen experience. And its not just the summers that the Ski India is going to be active. “Feel free to enjoy the experience in the winters, too,” Jain wrapped up, throwing a snow ball at us.