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.
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.
