Asia’s only natural ice skating rink in Shimla opened its winter season on Wednesday with successful trial runs. Officials said it was a positive start even though global warming has been reducing skating sessions every year.
The 105-year-old open-air rink saw excited tourists on the first layer of ice, which formed earlier than last year because of favourable weather.
Manpreet Singh Sembi, President of the Shimla Ice Skating Rink, said climate change continues to impact the sport. He said “Yes, the club has conducted trials, and today's trials were successful. Because of global warming, the environment is affected. The number of sessions is decreasing each year, so the number of skaters has also decreased. We are dependent on the weather for the functioning of the ice skating rink.”
Sembi further stated, "This year, because of the good weather conditions, we have started a week earlier than last year, and we hope that there will be good sessions. Schools are underway, and most students have exams, so the number of skaters is expected to increase by the end of this month".
Sembi added that they are working to convert the rink into an all-weather facility and hope to finish the project next year. He said the rink is more than a century old and holds emotional value for many generations. For Shimla, he said, this rink remains one of the few major winter activities available for locals and tourists. Jasraj further said, "This time, because of the cold, we hope sessions will be more. Tourism in Shimla doesn't have many attractions left; this is one that can attract tourists. But due to lack of regular sessions, many children go to Dehradun and other places for training."
General Secretary of the heritage club Rajat Malhotra also admitted that unpredictable weather makes the season uncertain. He said “This is a Heritage club that began in 1920 and is more than 100 years old now. If you are living in Shimla and you are not a part of this thing, that doesn't make sense. Today's trial was successful, and we hope for a good season, but everything depends on the weather.”
Rajat, an experienced skater himself, said it is time to upgrade the open rink to an all-weather indoor facility. “For sports like ice hockey and figure skating, artificial ice is the only option. Some years we get over 70 sessions; last year we had only 35. If the weather permits, we hope for more than 70 sessions this year," he added.
Even with concerns about climate and decreasing participation, tourists were happy to be among the first skaters of the season. The club had not invited anyone for day one, but tourists staying nearby joined after they saw the rink open. Many were trying ice skating for the first time and said they were enjoying themselves despite the falls.
Chiranth Reddi, a tourist from Karnataka, said it was his first experience on ice. “We are really enjoying it. We are falling, but learning,” he said.
Another visitor, Amritya Singh from Jharkhand, said he felt lucky to arrive on the very day the rink opened during his college trip after completing his B.Tech.
Visitors from warmer places seemed especially excited. Anshu, from Hyderabad, said it was her second visit to Shimla but her first time skating on natural ice. She said she did not know this was Asia’s only natural ice rink and found the place beautiful despite talks of changing weather. She added that she would love to return.
As the winter cold finally settles over the hill town, locals hope the weather stays supportive so this historic rink and its long tradition can continue for another season. Established in 1920 during British rule, the Shimla Ice Skating Rink remains a rare semi-natural facility in South East Asia, offering ice skating, figure skating, and ice hockey every winter.
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