With skates in hands ,every morning the Ice Skating Lovers in Shimla are walking to Ice Skating Rink. Morning starts with bright sunrays that rises by 0645 am and illuminates the valleys and the hilltops. The first ray of the sun touches Shimla ranges and the tips of the hills glow up. It is not very cold here. Although we need woolens but only when we are in a shady area. During the day one wants to sit in sun and bask but soon feels like taking off all the clothes and expose body to sun. Joints of the body open up and one enjoys and after some time feels dozy.

Since the night have clear sky and temperature drips to freezing point so next morning the overflown water from the drains on the roads is found frozen that causes a number of vehicles slip and many people meet accidents.

During the day temperature this year in the hills is higher than in the plains. Every moment there are news on television and everyday in news papers that the entire northern Indian is under the grip of a spine chilling cold. The whole area including Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and many others are under a thick blanket of fog. Trains and flights are running late and many are getting cancelled. Passengers are suffering as they have to wait for long at the railway stations and the airports.

But here in the hills, we are enjoying clear sunny days, warmth of Sun, beautiful walks, panoramic views of snow clad Himalayas and winter vacations. Schools are closed and shall reopen in march. No tourists in town and a number of shops are closed as the shop owners have gone to their native villages only to return in march. Many old people, retired couples move to the plains to escape the cold of the hills but this year they are regretting as it would have been better here.

It snowed in Shimla in 13th of January. In the morning at 06 O'clock, as I moved out of my house and walked on the bridle path to reach the main road, a flake of snow landed on my nose. I surprised and looked up. The sky was grey and I saw some more flakes floating in the air. Soon it increased and uncountable snowflakes hit the ground. I walked in them to the but station as I had to catch a but to Chandigarh. Within half an hour it covered roads, pathways, branches of cedars, tin rooftops, electricity wires, railings, poles and vehicles. Three was a sheet of white mental all over. People were glad to see snow falling, at least some after long dry and sunny days. They played in snow and wished friends and relatives, Happy Snow Falling'. Hoteliers and taxi drivers were happy as they expected some business.

But by the afternoon everything was back to normal. The snow did not last for long and melted by the evening. Is it the effect of Global Warming?

Sumit Vashisht is the Astounding Himalayas Editor for Wandering Educators