Shimla : Ice skating began here yesterday over two weeks late at India’s oldest natural ice skating rink here .
Organisers told the Hill Post high temperatures and cloudy skies delayed the start of skating which usually gets under way in the last week of November.
There are around 500 members ice skating enthusiasts enrolled for skating in the Shimla’s ice skating club . The location of the rink is such that it virtually gets no sunshine in the winter months .
Despite a delayed start organiers say they are expecting 60 sessions this season . There were times the 1960s when upto 150 sessions were held in the entire winter season .
Ice skating tournaments including ice hockey ,winter carnival and other activities take place in early January here .
Since this is a natural ice skating rink low temperatures are naturally ideal for ice formation in the open air rink .
Cloudy skies interfere with ice formation .
Skating takes place early morning and evening . Shimla has produced some of the best ice skaters in the country .
Photo: Amit
In a 20 year career published widely. He has worked for the BBC, AFP, The Statesman, IANS and the Business Standard . Known for his hard hitting writing and occasional off-beat stories. He lives in Shimla.
