Enchanting Lagoon of the East - Chilika Lake

The Beautiful Lagoon - Chilika

Mother Nature provides multi-dimensional travel destinations with a variety of choices that you can select as per your love and preference. India has been blessed with a variety of landscapes and natural gifts that a traveler can opt based on your choices. We have options of landscapes like hills, plains, deserts; then we have options of natural creations like Waterfalls, beaches, islands and many other preferences for a traveler to jump on. Along with these well known landscapes, there are some rare natural creations which has the potential to offers amazing experiences.

Chilika Lake is Asia's largest lagoon, present on the east coast of India, in the state of Odisha having a cross-section area of 1100 sq.m. The place offers a geography, which is very unique to itself and very few ecosystems are available which match it in prosperity. The lake is connected to Bay of Bengal through a small mouth which is essential for maintaining the salinity of the lake waters. The unique geography of the lake allowed the growth of many unique wildlife, which have adapted to the habitat and calls this place as their home. Any dastic variation in the salinity of the lake makes a degrading impact on the eco-system. Chilika lake has been developed as tourist spot and a bird sanctuary by Odisha government. The efforts got accelerated due to presence of Irrawaddy Dolphins in the waters which are nearly threatened and fears extinction due to habitat loss, hunting and careless approach towards its conservation. The area is a well identified wetland marked for conservation.

Information on Ramsar Convention declaring Chilika for Wetland conservation

Things to Explore

 

1. Dolphin Sightings

 

The area is known for Irrawaddy Dolphin and Bottle Nose Dolphin sightings, but being a rare species and amidst a lot of noise and boats, you may not get the chance to see them properly. Best time to watch the dolphins is between 7am-9am. Do avoid this tour during mating season of Dolphins, else after few years the activity will be deleted from this list. 

 

Irrawaddy Dolphin (Pic: Kalinga TV)

2. Rajhans Island

 

The last island on the eastern part of lake, with Chilika lake on one side and Bay of Bengal on other side. It is one of the better points to see in Chilika.

Sandy Rajhans Island

 

3. Sea Mouth Island

 

A sandy patch of land which is open only during low tide which acts as the mouth of Chilika where sea water enters the lake. Be careful while exploring this land and be sure to take guidance from your boatman. This place is famous for Red Ghost Crabs.  

 

4. Kalijai Island 

 

An island near Barkul Jetty which has a temple dedicated to goddess Kali. It is said that the temple was built to console the souls of two woman who died on the island. Presently, the Island is more used a tourist and picnic spot. 

 

Kalijai Island and its temple

5. Breakfast Island

 

A small island spot near Rambha Jetty which can be accessed by boat ride. It has an old building constructed on it. 

 

6. Dinosaur Island 

 

A nice island near Rambha Jetty which can be accessed by boat ride. The name is given due to a artificial dinosaur statue on the island. Its a photographic place.

 

Breakfast Island (Left) and Dinosaur Island (Right)

7. Chilika Eco-Park, Satapada 

A garden developed near Satapada Jetty, by Chilika Development Authority which can be a good place for children to have walk and evening fun. It has a blue whale skeleton kept in the garden.

Along with these spots, there are many other small islands, sandy lands and natural beauties around the area that can be seen, photographed and explored. 

Blue Whale Skeleton at Eco-park

 

Bird-watching Experiences 

 

1. Nalabana Island Bird Sanctuary (Allowed with prior government permissions)

Indraprasth Island having an area of 15.53 sq.km, which host a lot of birding activity due to its suitable habitat. The island emerges out of the lake during post monsoon times. The problem with the area is that only professionals are allowed inside the island with prior permission from Wildlife department. General tourists can explore the surrounding islands of  Bhusandpur, Soran, Parikuda and Chadheighara islands. 

 

2. Mangalajodi Bird Conservation Area

A beautiful wetland with grassy patches attract a lot of birds to this area. During season, the area is a famous bird photography site. Do maintain discipline and respect while venturing into these habitats. The activities at the place opens up early in the morning till 6 pm evening. Bird watching towers are also available in the area.

 

Pricing: For Day tours, You can book the tour package at around Rs 3000/- for 4 persons which includes fixed menu food, boat ride and a bird guide. If you want to stay here, you have options of cottage which costs around Rs 4000/- per couple and  if you opt for dormitory, it costs you around Rs 1000/- per persons. A full fledged birding trip can be arranged at a cost of around Rs 7000/- for 2 persons which includes stay for 1 night, fixed menu food and two birding tours.

Mangalajodi Bird Watching area

Facility for Exploring Chilika Lake

Chilika Lake has been well developed with multiple entry points. The well known entry points are Rambha (south), Barkul, Balugaon (West), Mangalajodi and Satapada (North), from where the lake can be explored as per comfort of the traveler. Odisha Tourism department authorized Jetty services are operating a number of lake tours, especially from Satapada and Naupada side, as the area is close to the mouth of Chilika Lake, which is separated from Bay of Bengal by a sandy patch of land and a mouth where lake merges with sea. This area is famous for Dolphin point.

 

Satapada Jetty Area

 

All tourist boats available for service are Motor driven as the travel distance is large and takes good amount of time. The boat services are managed by Motor boat association of Satapada. The jetty area is well built and provides the tourists with facilities like safety jackets, resting area, washrooms, small eateries for refreshments, and car parking facility as well. There are 6 travel routes covering different islands marked at the facility with individual pricing. (refer image below). Along with that, additional charges are applicable for picnic, night halting of boat, etc. So, before boarding the boat, have a proper conversation with the boatman to get a clear picture of your trip.

Rate chart for Boat service (Dolphin Motor Boat Association, Satapada Jetty)

Tip: If you are visiting Puri, then visit Chilika from Satapada point as direct road connectivity of 40 Km is available from Puri. But, if you are coming exclusively for Chilika Lake, then Rambha is a better entry point which has good stay options as well.

Warning:

Book your boat ride with utmost precaution to avoid fooling as the jetty guys will claim many fascinations and view points to see, but actually these are just marketing gimmicks. During your visit to the different island, you will find hawkers trying to convince you for purchasing artificial jewelries,  Artificial pearls in the name of real pearls, Artificial Gem stones imitating them as originals, food purchased here can be extremely costly, and prices can be asked randomly, so do ask the price before ordering.

 

How to Reach

Chilika Lake can be reached from many directions. To enter the lake from southern points,  Brahmapur acts as an important railway head where many trains stops and it is only 46km from Rambha jetty. In this case you can enjoy Gopalpur by Sea before you visit Chilika. The other way is reaching Bhubaneswar or Puri. If you are staying at Puri, Satapada Jetty can be reached easily via road trip of 48km. If you are coming by airways, Bhubaneswar is the only option. According to your arrival point, decide your stay area and points to visit.

Where to Stay

There are many stay options available around Chilika near Rambha, Barakul and other entry points. OTDC Panthanivas runs a resort near Barakul, which is a good stay option. Daveen Chilika Resort is an island resort near Satapada. But all these resorts may costs a bit and being at the outskirts, the only thing you can have is Chilika Lake and lots of birds.

I will suggest that book your stay at Puri, which is a proper town with all facilities, food options, and the best part is you can have stay options at comparatively cheaper cost.

Who should Visit

The place is good for most travelers, but it will be liked more by Nature enthusiasts.

Number of Days

You can have this place covered in 1 day which is around a 3-4 hour boat ride. Further extension of the trip can be done as per personal choice. 

Chilika Eco-park, Satapada

Increased tourism in these kind of area provides a two sided coin, where on one side it provides revenue for locals so they support in conservation activities, whereas increased movement of motorized boats results in accidental killing of Dolphins and damage the environment due to oil spills, giving a negative impact. Now, it is on us, the travelers, who can make a difference by adopting better eco-tourism habits. Also, avoid visiting Chilika during Dolphin mating seasons i.e. July to January. So, whenever you are touring an Eco-sensitive zone, do respect the wildlife and give them a respectable approach, as we are visiting their home for appreciating them, and strictly they are not meant for entertainment.

Beware, any mismanagement of the zone will result in damage to the eco-system, which will automatically reduce tourism in the area and finally losing earnings for many whose family is sustained by these tourism business. So, its a sensitive cycle that needs to be conserved for the sake of both animals and humans.

Enjoy Traveling and Be Responsible towards Wildlife !

Puri - Realm of Sri Jagannatha

 

  The grand Carnival of Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri (Pic: PTI)

In our country, Tourism is driven by some underlying objectives, like Summer relaxation in Hills, Weekend fun on beaches, Picnic fun at some garden or lakes but an objective which dominates all of these are Religious Visits. These visits are performed with a greater objective of getting close to the almighty. In India, we have Char Dham Yatra, Shirdi Yatra, Vaishno Devi, Astvinayak Yatra, Dwadash Jyotirling Yatra, Ajmer Shariff and many more which have great importance in the life of people. 

 

In this travel, We will take you to one such Destination !  

 

PURI, a small town on the east coast state of Orissa, India. The place is better known as Sri Jagannatha Dhama as it is home of one of the most applauded religious hot-spots, the 12th-century Jagannath Temple. Being a coastal town and its vicinity to metro cities like Kolkata and Bhubaneswar, it attracts huge travelers who may visit Puri for a relaxation opportunity. It is said that around 70-80% of economy of Puri is dependent on the temple and activities around it. Puri is famous for many folklore, many miracle stories and it also can be visited for a gastronomical experience. 

 

 

Places to Visit

 

Jagannath Temple: An ancient temple, whose origin can be traced to 10th century Ganga Dynasty, but it is said the real story dates back far in history, as far as Mahabharat. The idol of the temple is made of wood which is replaced every 12th year in a grand ceremony. The temple opens at 5am and closes at midnight. From 7-8pm, the visitors are allowed close to the idol, so during this period you can experience massive crowd. In front of the main entrance, the "Singhdwar", there is a 16 sided monolithic pillar, known as Arun Stambh which was earlier at Konark Temple. You can find family of macaques around the temple. So, keep some precaution with kids. Please note, Non hindus are not allowed to enter the temple. 

 

Warning:

Unless you are planning to perform some religious procedure in the temple, keep your distance from the priests or so called Pandas. There are many experiences of visitors, stating that the pandas will not miss an opportunity to squeeze out some money from you in the name of taking you close to the idol, VIP visit, etc. So, do what i did. Just follow the line. 

 

Jagannath Temple "Singhdwar",with 16 sided monolithic pillar (Arun Stambh)

 

Gundicha Temple: The more famed name in folklore is Masi maa temple. It is at the end of Grand avenue road of Rath Yatra. Mostly not visited by many, this temple gets all the attention only during Rath yatra days. I will suggest a few minute at this spot, may be just for photography from outside

 

Swargodwar Beach or simply Puri Beach: Swargodwar means Gateway to heavens. One of the most beautiful coastlines in eastern India. The beach is quite sandy and has a golden tinge. I would suggest an early morning visit. When you are at beach, after you are done with all bathing activity, try the Tea in earthen pots and most importantly, with Samosa. You will find many vendors on cycle selling Samosa( local name "Singara") and Sweets like Rosogolla . A must try. In the evening, you can find fish fry of your selected fish on the coastline. 

 

Swargodwar Beach

 

Narendra Pokhari: A beautiful location, basically a lake which is considered holy. So, most visit the place for a touch of the water. A number of ghats are constructed to access the lake.

Walk on the Marine Drive Road: If you are staying by the beach, in the evening or may be after dinner, you can have a gentle walk here. The cool breeze will soothe your body. Also, Enjoy the street foods like Jhaal Muri, Ice creams, Fish Fry, Egg Rolls etc. 

 

 

How to Reach here

 

Being in Love with Indian Railways, my primary suggestion is always Train. Puri has its own station and many cities are well connected with trains. In case, there is no direct train or you don't want to use train, then reach Bhubaneswar, the capital city of State of Orissa. You can reach Bhubaneswar by train or flight. 

From Bhubaneswar, you can have a wonderful road trip of around 65km to reach Puri. The roads are beautiful and comfortable. For a cheaper option, State transport(OSRTC) buses are available that can cost you around Rs 80-100/-.

Once in Puri, you can cover most of the town by Walk or by Auto rickshaws. So, no expenses there.

Puri Railway Station

Where to Stay

 

Being a busy tourist destination, all range of stay options are available. There are royal stay options like Mayfair and Chariot. The stay options on the Marine drive, which are sea facing can have a good price tag. During, my visit i opted for Hotel Pushpa of Berries group. It was light on the pocket, very good rooms, good hospitality but it has no sea views or beautification, but the beach was 50 steps from hotel, so that was adjustable. So, select the stay as per your budget, but it is recommended to stay close to beach for a good vacation experience.

Entrance of Hotel Pushpa

 

Who should Visit ?

 

Puri is open for everyone. Though the temple is only open for Hindu believers, but the city is open for anyone who finds relaxation on beach and yes you are supported by good and pocket friendly food. 

No. of Days:  1 Night, 2 days minimum is sufficient

Expected Expense:  Rs 3000/- per person minimum can give you a comfortable visit

 

 

Must Try

Dalma Puri at any local restaurant at the non-commercial areas or outer Puri. These eateries may look not so neat, but taste will make you ignore that. If you are a cleanliness freak, in that case, try the same dish at multi-cuisines in city area.   

Singara, Tea and Sweets from Cycle vendors on Puri Beach. I can bet, the taste of these Samosa and Rosogolla can easily beat the taste of same sweet in nearby Sweet shop.

 

Sweets of Puri Temple: There is a section attached to temple, named Ananda Bazaar, where they sell all kinds of Mahaprasad, sweet items that are offered to the lord. This includes the Khaja, a kind of fried layers of flour coated with suger and jaggery. You can try the Khichhdi as well. Frankly, i will not assure that you will like it but it is a thing about devotion. So, do try and share your opinion.

 

 

The Sweets and Samosa at Puri beach 

Experience of Lifetime:

 

The Rath Yatra, which draws nearly a million people from across the world and sees frenzied devotees pull the raths (chariots) of the three deities – Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra takes place every year in the month of June. The english word "Juggernaut" is derived out of the name "Jagannath". If you can bear a gathering of that level (refer the 1st picture), then this is the dare task for you !

 

The Folklore:

There are many cultural folklore and miracles associated with the temple of Lord Jagannath. The most famous of the stories connects Shri Krishna from Dwarka and Jagannath Idols of Puri.  It is said that Shri Krishna and Yadavas were cursed due to the massacre of Mahabharat. It is said that Shri Krishna was killed by a hunter, who took him as a deer. Seeking forgiveness, he did all the last rites on the coastal side of Dwarka . It is said that the Heart of Shri Krishna got washed away in sea and reached Puri as a log of wood. This was collected by King Indradyumna. The maker of the world, Vishwakarma visited the king as an old Artisan and offered the king that he will make a beautiful idol using the log under condition that he should be given a closed room and no one should disturb him until he finish in 21 days. But on 14th day, there was complete silence in the room. The queen got worried and pressurized the king to open the door. As the door opened, the Artisan got angry and he vanished leaving the idols incomplete with no arms. But, accepting his mistake, the king placed the same idols in the temple and rest of the history is known to all.

 

If you have different story, or another detailed folklore. Do comment.

Until then, Happy Exploring !