| 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. Access
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. OTDC boats can be hired at Barkul, and cost between Rs 410 (for a
7-seater boat) to Rs 790 (for a 34-seater boat) per hour. A special tour is operated by
the OTDC between Barkul and Kalijai, and costs Rs 40 per head.
Best time to
visit
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
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. Air-conditioned double rooms at the Barkul tourist bungalow
cost Rs 700 a night; non-airconditioned rooms cost half that price. The bungalow at Rambha
is somewhat cheaper, with air-conditioned double rooms for Rs 500 and non-airconditioned
rooms for Rs 250 a night.
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.
More information on Chilka can be obtained from the Government of Orissa Tourism Counter
at the Tourist Bungalow in Rambha (District Ganjam, Orissa, Tel: 91-6810-78346).
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