The lake, familiarly known as Chilika Lagoon, has Nalabana Island which is spread over 15.53 square kilometers, which has been recognized as a wildlife sanctuary by the Government of Orissa in 1987. The Government. of India designated Lake Chilika as a Ramsar site in 1981 for its waterfowl habitat.

You can visit the entire stretch of the lagoon from Chandraput to Boca Nueva and Satpada. The main attractions include the Nalabana bird sanctuary, the Magarmukh area, New Mouth and the temple on the island of Kalijai. It will be a heart-pounding experience to see flamingos and pelicans up close on Nalabana Island. The Nirmaljhar waterfall, located almost 12 km from the Chilika lagoon, is a wonderful place of serenity. The sunrise and sunset in Chilika is one of the undisturbed sights that draws the attention of many tourists.

The tourism industry also thrives in the Satpada region, which is located on the eastern side of Lake Chilika. The place is surrounded by coastal lagoons on three sides for visitors to enjoy boating and recreational activities.

Surveys reveal that Chilika Lake is the largest wintering area for migratory birds arriving in India. During the high season, about 160 species of birds invade this region. They come from as far away as Ladakh, the Himalayas, the Caspian Sea, Lake Baikal and other remote places. Wild geese, jacanas, herons and flamingos, white-bellied sea eagles, gray and purple herons, Indian rollers, white storks and ibises, brahmany ducks, shovelers and mallards, spoonbills and many more are among the birds that migrate to this serene land to nest. . A bird census conducted in 2008 reveals 9,00,000 migratory birds of which 4,50,000 were sighted in Nalabana. Rare birds reported in the lake include the Dalmatian pelican, Pallas’s fish eagles, Asian seamstresses, the very rare migrant spoon-billed sandpiper, and the spot-billed pelican.

Community

Chilika Lake can be considered a lifeline for the housing community. There are many species in danger of extinction. Being an estuarine lagoon, it hosts a unique combination of brackish, marine and freshwater species. Not only wildlife, tourists also enjoy the beaches and boat trips to Kalijai Island, which provides local people with excellent employment opportunities.

a visit to the lake

What else can you expect? A motorized boat, eco-friendly in appearance, is steered by a local boatman amid picturesque surroundings. To add to its secluded nature, the calming water of the lake disappears as the journey battles on. This allows for many hours of the most precious views. A picturesque aroma of pure harmony and happiness is breathed in the wonderful lake designed by years of change. Gentle winds caress your neck as you approach gently sloping depressions covered in tanzanite-colored water. For some unexpected reason, one feels a whisper tone to maintain perfect cohesion with the open-air temple in Kalijai. Tourists eagerly waiting to return to the shore are presented with a friendly smile and you feel the warmth of the divine island, which is the abode of goddess Kalijai.

The return trip promises the site of rare Irrawaddy dolphins as you make your way towards the mouth of the lake. There are 158 of them according to the 2010 census. The alkaline water is as still as a photograph where you can even hear the ripples made from the boat as it amplifies in this placid lake. A rainbow can often be seen stretching across the sky when water is turned into vapor by the sun’s rays. The patch of grass looks like a neon light around the shore of the entire lake. Cattle grazing on the riverbanks, it is a temperate landscape.

The Chilika lagoon separates the two points of islands on each side. Rajhans Island beach serves as the boundary to the lake. The outdoors and the natural flora and fauna are an attraction of ecotourism.

Once above deck on the boat overlooking the picture on the horizon, seeing the birds and the beauty, one will forget all worries and anxieties. This almost perfect godly lake is a must see for all tourists. If you are visiting Puri Jagannath Temple and plan to see the tourist attractions near Puri, you must visit one of the largest lakes in India to explore the wildlife of Odisha.