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About Chilka Lake
Sanctuary, Puri
The Chilka Lake in Orissa
is Asia's largest inland salt-water
lagoon. Studded with small islands-
including the picturesquely-named
Honeymoon Island and Breakfast Island- the
lake is separated from the Bay of Bengal
by a sandy ridge. The pear-shaped lake
spreads across 1,100 sq km, and has a
unique ecosystem with a range of aquatic
flora and fauna found in and around its
brackish waters. An impressive array of
bird life, both native and migrant, makes
Chilka one of the best places in India for
a bit of satisfying bird-watching.
White bellied sea eagles, greylag geese,
purple moorhen, jacana, herons and
flamingos are among the many species which
make the lake a bird watcher's
delight: Chilka, in fact,
is home to one of the world's largest
breeding colonies of flamingos.
Other than the birds, Chilka's
shores are home to blackbuck, spotted
deer, golden jackals and hyenas, and the
lake is rich in aquatic life- its waters
harbour around 160 species of fish,
crustaceans and other marine creatures,
including the famous Chilka
dolphin. Prawn, crab and mackerel fishing
are an important source of livelihood for
the local people, and hundreds of small
fishing boats set sail each morning to
bring in the day's catch from the lake. he
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve harbours India's
second largest pachyderm population, and
the chances of seeing elephant herds is
pretty high, especially during the dry
season.
Places to
see (Chilka Lake Bird Sanctuary):
Nalabana: It is a forest of reeds and is
famous for the long-range migratory birds
in winter.
Birds
Island: It is heaven for
the resident and migratory birds. One can
watch the birds in their natural habitat
here.
Kalijai:
The abode of Goddess, Kalijai. The island
is famous for the temple and the scenic
surroundings.
Satapada:
The famous Chilka Dolphins are can be seen
in their natural best.
Parikud and
Malud: They are islands
within the lake.
Brahmaputra:
The place is known for its scenic beauty.
Access(Chilka Lake Bird Sanctuary)
Chilka is approximately
120 km from Bhubaneshwar, the nearest
airport; state transport, OTDC tour buses
and private operators ply the roads
between Chilka, Puri,
Behrampore, Bhubaneshwar and Cuttack. The
nearest railway stations are at Rambha and
Balugaon, both of which have train
connections to cities as distant as
Kolkata, Puri, Hyderabad and Chennai. From
both Balugaon and Rambha buses are
available to the lake.
Local transport is basically limited to
three wheel rickshaws and auto rickshaws,
bicycles and cars are sole modes of
private transport. The services of local
boatmen and the OTDC's motorboats are
available for access to the islands though
outboard motors are not allowed near the
bird sanctuary.
Best Time to
Visit (Chilka Lake Bird Sanctuary):
The weather remains moderately warm the
whole year round, so come any time of the
year except during the rainy season from
June to September. The best time, however,
is from October to March, when the lake is
crowded with migrating birds, usually at
least 50-70 species. Pilgrims flock here
in January during Makar Mela (at the time
of Makar Sankranti) to pay obeisance to
the Goddess Kalijai, whose temple is
situated on Kalijai island in
Chilka Lake.
Accommodation (Chilka
Lake Bird Sanctuary)
There are a few hotels on the banks of the
lake including an OTDC run hotel and two
tourist bungalows (the `Panthnivas' at
Rambha and Barkul) that have stunning
views and a relaxed vacation ambience.
A number of state-run as well as
privately-operated resthouses and tourist
lodges also dot the shores of the lake,
and tariffs vary considerably, depending
upon the facilities offered.
Wildlife Sanctuaries and
National Parks in Orissa
Bhitar Kanika National Park
Simlipal National Park
Nandankanan Park
Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary
Chilika ( Nalaban) Wildlife Sanctuary
Satkosia Gorge Wildlife Sanctuary |
