Chilika Lake is a brackish water lagoon, spread over the Puri, Khurda and Ganjam districts of Odisha state on the east coast of India, at the mouth of the Daya River, flowing into the Bay of Bengal, covering an area of over 1100 km.
It is the largest coastal lagoon in India and Asia and the second largest brackish water lagoon in the world after the new Caledonian barrier reef.
INTRODUCTION POINTS:-
It is the largest wintering ground for migatory birds on the Indian sub-continent.
Chilika lies in the Central Asian Flyway for birds and is a major stopover site for migratory birds from the Arctic and Sub-Arctic regions during their onward and return migration along the east coast.
In 1981 Chilika Lake was designated the first Indian wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.
Nalbana Bird Sanctuary or Nalbana Island is the core area of the Ramsar designated wetlands of Chilika Lake.
It was declared a bird sanctuary under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
It was notified in 1987 and declared a bird sanctuary in1973 under the Wildlife Protection Act.
National Chilika Bird Festival is the onle time when Nalabana is opened for nature lovers of all around the globe.
Mangalajodi freshwater wetland and Nalabana Island which form part of the Chilika lake have been identified as important Bird Areas (IBA).
Bhubaneshwar to Chilika, how to go by bus routes :-
Bhubaneshwar to Chilika, There are 3 well known places from bhubaneswar to visit, from which by local taxi or any other vehicle can travel to Chilika easily. The 3 places are :
1) Balugaon – it is approx 96 km from bhubaneswar.
2) Barukul – it is approx 105 km from bhubaneswar.
3) Satpada – it is approx 108 km from bhubaneswar.
Animal:-
The rate and threatened animal species identified are green sea turtle (EN), dugong (VU), lrrawaddy dolphin (EN), blackbuck(LC), Spoon billed sandpiper (CR), Chilika limbless skink (CR) and fishing cat (VU).
Odisha Forest Department officials, wildlife experts and researchers recently sighted 146 endangered lrrawaddy dolphins in Chilika Lake(India’s brackish water lake), which boasts of the highest single lagoon population of the aquatic mammal in the world.
Activities in Chilika Lake
Boating Price:-
- Basic:-
Basic price 1500
Time- 1 Hours 30 Minutes / 90 Minutes
Activities-
Boating
Dolphin
Local Birds on Season Time
Note- per boat 6 adults and 2 children allowed - Standard:-
Basic price 2500
Time- 3 Hours 30 Minutes / 210 Minutes
Activities-
Boating
Dolphin
Sight & Local Birds on Season Time
Heaven Island
Maa Kalija Temple
Note- per boat 6 adults and 2 children allowed - Premium:-
Basic price 2500
Time- 3 Hours 30 Minutes / 210 Minutes
Activities-
Boating
Dolphin
Sea Mouth Island
Sight & Local Birds on Season Time
Red Crab
Note- per boat 6 adults and 2 children allowed - Silver:-
Basic price 2500
Time- 3 Hours 30 Minutes / 210 Minutes
Activities-
Boating
Dolphin
Rajhans Island
Sight & Local Birds
Note- per boat 6 adults and 2 children allowed - Gold:-
Basic price 3500
Time- 3 Hours 30 Minutes / 210 Minutes
Activities-
Boating
Dolphin
Classic Beach
Lord Jagannath Chakanasi Island
Red Crab
Note- per boat 6 adults and 2 children allowed - Diamond:-
Basic price 3500
Time- 4 Hours / 240 Minutes
Activities-
Boating
Dolphin
Nalabana Bird Sanctuary
Note- per boat 6 adults and 2 children allowed - Platinum:-
Basic price 5200
Time- 7 Hours / 420 Minutes
Activities:-
Boating
Dolphin
Nalabana Bird Sanctuary
Kalijai Temple
Note- per boat 6 adults and 2 children allowed
Nalabana Bird Sanctuary :-
The Nalabana Bird sanctuary is located on the Nalabana Island in the Heart of Chilka Lagoon.
The large Nalabana Island(Forest of Reeds) Covering about 16sq.km was declared a Bird Sanctuary in 1987.
The Island disappears during the monsoon due to inundation, only to emerge again post-monsoon.
Migratory birds usually start arriving at Chilika in November & specially acts as a treat for the Bird-Watchers in Winter.
SataPara :-
Satapara boating point Sat means seven and Para means village, SataPara means seven villages. Locaated in the southern part of Chilika Lake Satapara is famous for a sea mouth Island where chilika Ms Bay of Bengal.
Rajhan Nature:-
The Rajun nature Camp a strip of Sandy land with long stretch Beach on the East chilka Lake on the west which is isolating the Geat Chilika Lake from Bay of Bengal.Time is one and half hour boat ride where we enjoyed plethora of dolphins and seabirds. Rajhan nature camp is built and maintained by ofdc for tourist there is no land route except by boat, this is a deluxe double bed Swiss tin, the room is spacious and gracefully decorated with luxurious amenities, one dressing room that leads to abig washroom with all modern facilites. And AC double baited Rajan nature camp cost 5000 per day, this tarf inclusive of pickup and drop to satapara by boat and visit to Sea break lunch dinner are complimentary children from 4-18 years accompanying parents will be charged extra at the destination, after a quick lunch we boarded the same boat the beauty of the lake was.
(Puri to Rajhan Nature distance 50km and Bhubaneswar to Rajhan distance 110km)
Booking in – ecotourodisha.com
Classic Beach:- The most beautiful Beach in a Classic Beach. Looking most beautiful and magical sea mouth view in Bay off Bangla. Steal your heart we are experiencing a Divine Sunset devoid of proud and trash.
Maa Kalijai Mandir:-
This temple of Maa Kalijai is located in the middle of chilika, situated on an island. It is an important religious place which is the center of faith for the local people. Due to an incident which took place years ago, people’s love for the temple increased even more after the incident . Once, there was a wedding in a village nearby, and after the wedding, at the time of departure, a boat was ordered to leave the girl’s in-laws’ house. The girl’s in-laws’ house was on the other side of the river, which was in the middle of the ocean, a terrible storm came and the boat was submerged. But the person riding the boat and the girl’s father both were found alive, but the girl was lost. Then months after the fishermen Heard the humming voice of the girl, then they realised that the voice is of the lost girl by name jaai. Therefore the people have the belief that the soul of the girl ‘jaai’ is merged with goddess kali. Therefore the place the place is named as maa Kalijai temple.
