A large variety of reptiles and aquatic mammal like Irrawadi Dolphins & the famous as well as endangered Olive Ridley Turtles are found in the sea coasts near Chilka lake. 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 crustaceans and other marine creatures including the famous Chilka dolphin along with the said around 160 species of fish. Prawn, crab and mackerel fishing are an important source of livelihood for the local people, and hundreds of small fishing boats set to sail daily to bring in the day’s catch from the lake. The 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.

The Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar, constituted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India awarded the prestigious Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Award–2002 to the Chilika Development Authority for the outstanding contribution of conservation and restoration of the Chilika lake eco-system.

Season –
Chilka lake can be visited through out the year as the climatic condition in Chilka is moderate warm round the year except rainy season in June to September. The best time to visit Chilka lake is October to March when the lake is crowded with 50-70 species of migratory birds. During the winter season Chilka becomes paradise for the bird- watchers and the ornithologists due to different migratory birds. During Makar- sankranti in January every year Makar-Mela is organised and pilgrims pay homage to the Goddess Kalijai in Kalijai island.

Accommodation –
Several hotels, rest houses, villas and huts in different budget range depending upon the facilities are situated around the lake. OTDC is maintaining Panthanibas and tourists lodges on the bank of lake.At the southern end of the lake, at Rambha and Barkul there are tourist Bunglows which are 6 kms away from Balugaon railway station. There are OTDC Guest houses at Barkul, Rambha, Satapada & several hotels at Balugaon.

PANTHANIVAS BARKUL
Balugaon, Khurda – 752030
Phone: 06756-220488

PANTHANIVAS RAMBHA
At/P.O. Rambha, Ganjam – 761028
Phone: 06810-278346

Visit Orissa Govt tourism Development Corporation website Panthanivas.com for booking and other details. There are few private hotels available at Balugaon for budget accomodations.

From Satapada side -

PANTHANIVAS SATAPADA
Via Brahmagiri, Dist. Puri Pin : 752001
Phone : 06752 262077

How to Reach –
By Air – The nearest airport from Chilka is Biju Patnaik Airport at Bhubaneswar, which is 120 kms away, 105 km from Barkul and 135 km from Rambha, 110-km from Satpada. The Biju Patnaik airport is the only major airport in the state which is well connected to Calcutta, Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Vishakhapatnam, Hyderabad, and Raipur through regular flights.

By Rail – The nearest railway station is Balugaon in south-eastern railway which is directly connected to Kolkata, Puri, Orissa, Hyderabad and Mumbai. The Calcutta-Chennai broad guage rail route of South Eastern Railway reaches Chilika Lake passing thrugh Balugaon, Chilika, Khallikote and Rambha stations.

By Road – Barkul and Rambha are the nearest destinations to Chilka which are situated on NH- 5. Regular buses ply between Bhubaneswar and Berhampur, while stopping en route at Barkul and Rambha. Tourists can also visit Chilka from Barkul and Rambha by Auto and Rickshaws. State transport corporation, OTDC tour buses and private operators ply buses between Chilka, Puri, Behrampore, Bhubaneshwar and Cuttack. Chilka is located at a distance of 48 Km from temple town of Puri. Plenty of buses and taxis are available for the travelers to reach from Puri to Chilka Lake. Not more than one hour’s drive, Chilka is situated at south-west of Puri.

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.
Cruise on Chilka Lake – To cruise on Chilka Lake and to visit different nearby islands, motorized and speed boats are available with OTDC and other private operators. Interested Tourists can also hire Sea Kayaks from Orissa Tourism’s Water Sports Complex to explore the Nalbana Island.

Enjoy Sea foods – In Chilka tourists can enjoy sea food preparations served on leaf plates. You can enjoy the delicious taste of fresh Tiger Prawns, Red Crabs and other fish dishes in food stalls set up by the local people.

Local Watchables –
Nalaban Island: Nalbana is one of the beautiful Islands in the Chilka lake with a covered area of 15 sq km long. Nalbana islands is the chief bird watching region and forms the core area of Chilka wildlife sanctuary and Ramsar designated wetland due to its variety of flora & fauna. Nalbana Island was declared a bird sanctuary under the Wild life Protection Act in 1973. During migratory season different species of migratory bird come here. In Nalaban Bird Sanctuary entry permit is required for visitors for which contact details are given below :-
Divisional Forest Officer, Rairakhol (T) Division,
Po. Rairakhol, Dist. Sambalpur, Orissa 06644, India.
Phone/fax: 253030
In 2007, nearly 840,000 birds visited the lake, out of which 198,000 were spotted in Nalbana Island. On Jan 5, 2008, a bird census involving 85 wildlife officials counted 900,000 birds of which 450,000 were sighted in Nalabana. Nalbana Island is a beautiful beach with blue water and golden sand and tourists can enjoy boating and fishing here. It takes 3 to 4 hours of boat ride to reach Nalaban from the shores of Barakul.

Puri: The interested tourists can visit the temple city Puri, the Jagannatha Dham which is 48 kms from here and an hours journey by car from Chilka. The sea-shore in Puri is famous for bathing due to high tides. Lord Jagannatha temple which was built in 11th century is half kms distance from the Puri beach. Read More

The Nirmaljhar Waterfall: Nirmaljhar waterfalls is situated at a distance of 12 kms from Chilka lagoon . 11 Kms. from Rambha, Nirmaljhar has earned name as an ideal place of picnic as well as pilgrimage.A stream that emerges out from the feet of a Vishnu image enhances the importance and sanctity of the place.

Satpada: This beautiful island is situated at the junction point of the Chilka Lake & Bay of Bengal. Satpada is situated at 50 kms from Puri on the eastern side of Chilka Lake. Satapada Island is surrounded by lagoons from three sides which makes the place very picturesque and attracts tourist for its natural beauty. The Satapada Island is popular as a Dolphin-Spotting site. Tourists can enjoy adventure sports like boating, Kayaking & canoeing. At Satpada excellent accommodation facilities are available at OTDC Yatri Niwas.

Kalijai Temple – Kalijai temple is situated on a hill surrounded by blue water and according to local belief this Island is considered as the abode of Goddess Kalijai which is 18 kms away from Balugaon. The local people who are mainly fishermen by occupation believe that the Goddess Kalijai will save them from all the difficult situation and natural calamities and bring happiness to their life. You can visit the temple by traditional motor boats or wooden boats. Kalijai Island is famous center of religious worship due to the temple of Goddess Kalijai and a hosts a fair held on the occasion of Makara Sankranti during January every year.

Honeymoon Island – Honeymoon Island is one of the best preserved islands in the Chilka with most attractive ecotourism resort operated by OTDC. It is 5 kms away from Rambha jetty in Rambha Bay near the Sankuda Island and is also locally known as Barkuda Island. The water here is crystal clear with red and green algae and is also famous for limbless lizards.

The Breakfast Island – This pear shaped island is situated in the Rambha Bay between Badakuda and Somolo island and is locally known as Sankuda Island. The Island was full of lush greenery and rare species of flora & fauna. There are remains of the ruined house constructed by the King of Kalikote. Mr. Snodgrass the Collector of Ganjam under East India Company used to do his Office work on this Island.

The Beacon Island – Beacon Island is situated at 3 kms from Rambha. It is an architectural marvel with a conical pillar and a small room constructed on a submerged mass of rock in the Rambha bay near Ghantasila hill. Mr. Snodgrass the Collector of Ganjam under East India Company built this Island. The ornamental pillar was constructed to put a light on the top for boats. The water spread around the Beacon Island is very charming, surrounded by the Eastern Ghat.

Somolo and Dumkudi islands, located in the Central and Southern sectors of the lake, in the backdrop of scenic Khalikote hill range, are inundated remnants of the Eastern Ghats with rich flora and fauna and also known for sighting of Irrawaddy Dolphins.

Situated in the Central and Southern sectors of the lagoon, these islands are inundated remnants of the Eastern Ghats. Though rocky, they are rich in flora and fauna. Dolphins are often sighted on the peripheral waters of Somolo island. A scenic and unique backdrop to Somolo is the Khalikote hill range.

Birds’ island is situated in the southern sector of the Chilka lake. This is a small hilly Island with huge exposed hanging rocks. It is 4 kilometers away from Rambha Tourist Bungalow, and 1 kilometer away on the Eastern side of the Ghantasila hill. The island is covered with herbs, shurbs, trees and creepers. The granite rocks are the remnants of Eastern Ghats. Some of the huge rocks are painted white because of the folic acid from the droppings of the Birds. Some residential birds use the island as perching ground. During winter season, the migratory birds are sighted here. It is known for its rich algal communities and few mangrove species.
Parikud is a group of composite islands which constitute the Garh Krishnaprasad Block which is ideal spot for nature lovers and provides an avian spectacle during winter season.

Gopalpur

Konark – The Sun Temple

SAND-BAR AND MOUTH OF CHILIKA LAGOON :
A beautiful and endless un-explored stretch of empty beach exists across the sand bar which separates the Lagoon from the Sea. The entire stretch is more than 30 Kms. It can be developed for extending the camping facility to the high budget tourists

Structure of the Temple -
The temple is 229 feet high with the audience hall at a height of 128 feet and the compound area is 857 feet by 540 feet wide. The architecture of Sun temple belongs to the Kalinga School of Indian Temples.

The word Konark is derived from two separate words ‘Kona’ standing for corner and ‘Ark’ meaning the Sun. The architecture of entire Konark temple is in the form of a Chariot of Surya Devta of ancient Hindu mythology, the God Sun on twelve pairs of minutely designed wheels drawn by seven horses. The major attraction of the Konark temple is the wheels of the chariot which are 10 ft in diameter with intricate architecture & carvings. During the ancient days these wheels were used as tools for watching the time cycle of a day (24 hours) with the shape of the shadow of the wheel depicting the specific time of the day and the seven horses dragging the Chariot represent 7days of a week. The entrance of the temple is guarded by two lions crushing a war elephant. In the entrance there is a Nata or Natya Mandir (Dancing Hall) where the dancers of the temple used to worship God Sun through their dance. The Nata Mandir in front of the Jagamohana is also intricately carved and is of photographer’s preference.

The whole temple area is enclosed by different geometric patterns. Around the base of the temple, up to the walls and roof there are sculptures of couples in varied postures of Kamasutra in erotic style. The intricacy & detailing of sculptures of animals, men and warriors, musicians playing drums & different instruments in odissi dance posses on horses in the temple are the examples of magnificence of the Orrisan architecture during that era.

The Archeological Survey of India runs a Sun temple museum where different sculptures of the Konark temple are being displayed. The renowned Nobel laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore once quoted about the Konark that – “here the language of stone surpasses the language of man”. This magnificent example of ancient Indian surviving heritage is declared as World heritage site by UNESCO in the year 1984. There are three images of the Sun God, positioned to catch the rays of the sun at dawn, noon and sunset.

The legendary tale about the Construction of the temple -
According to the ancient belief, the God Sun or Surya Devta used to ride on the divine chariot across the heaven. Another legend says that, King Narasimha Deva-I of the Ganga Dynasty had built this temple as a royal proclamation of the political supremacy of his dynasty against muslim invaders. More than 1200 artisans and architects with their creative talent and artistic sense, took a long period of 12 years to build this architectural brilliance. The expenses for construction of the temple was believed to be equivalent to the 12 years of King Narasimhadeva’s state’s revenue. About 2000 tons of stones were used to build the temple.
According to other legend it was built by Samba, the son of lord Krishna who cursed him with leprosy was cured by the rays of sun during his worship, decided to build Sun temple.

The most popular theory about the root of the fall of Konark temple is according to the history of Orissa, in 1508 Kalapahad invaded Orissa. He destroyed Konark temple and other Hindu temples in Orissa. Including Konark temple, he destructed most of the images in most of the Hindu temples in Orissa. Though it was impossible to break the walls of Sun temple of Konark which are of 20 to 25 feet (7.6 m) thick, he somehow managed to displace the Dadhinauti (Arch stone) which resulted in the gradual collapse of the temple.

Consequently, in 1568 Orissa came under Muslim control during which there were attempts to destroy the Hindu temples. The Pandas of Konark took away the image of lord sun of the Sun temple and buried it under the sand for years. Latter on the image was said to have been removed to Puri and kept in the temple of Indra, in the compound of the Puri Jagannath temple. According to others, the Puja image of the Konark temple is yet to be discovered. But others hold the view that the Sun image now kept in the National Museum of Delhi was the presiding deity of the Konark Sun temple.

In 1626 the king of Khurda, Raja Narasimha Dev took away the Sun image to Puri along with two other moving deities – Sun and Moon and established them in a temple in the compound of Puri Jagannath temple.The big block of stones called Navagraha Paata placed in front of the Mukhasala were removed by the king of Khurda. The king took away different sculptured stones from Konark and constructed some portions of Puri temple with them. During Marahatta’s time the outer compound wall of the Puri temple was constructed of stones from Konark temple.

The main temple structure was destructed by the natural calamities and the human greed. The three gateway structures were destroyed by the king. The temple structure was engulfed in the huge pile of sand for a long period.

The carcass of the Konark temple was unearthed and brought to the limelight in the late 19th century by the initiatives of the Lord Curzon, which was deserted under the sand for 300 years due to lack of maintenance and negligence. The British Archeologists uncovered the lower portion of the temple structure and restored the ruins of the temple. Although the tower over the Garvagriha was not found but the Jagmohana (Audience Hall) was found intact. A small portions of the Nata Mandir (Dancing Hall) and Bhoga Mandir (Dinning Hall) have survived.

Festivals -
Konark Dance Festival – During the month of December every year annual dance festival of Indian classical forms are held at the Konark temple complex which includes the traditional classical dance form of Orissa – the famous Oddissi form. This dance festival is a very reputed one and esteemed festival for the artists who perform here. Renowned dancers from all over the country come here during this dance festival to participate in the open air auditorium in the temple complex. In this festival the varied dancing forms of different regions in India were performed like Bharathnatyam, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Kathak, Chau etc. The sound of ghungroo, flute and other classical instruments in the open air auditorium in the backdrop of illuminated Konark temple create the atmosphere very festive. The beats of ‘Raga’ and ‘Tala’ fill the air with the sounds of classical music. The dance festival is organised by the Orissa tourism and Oddissi Research Centre. This dance festival provides a platform both to the famous dancers of the country as well as the new upcoming dancers to dislay their talents through different classical dance forms. During these days a handicrafts fair is also organised around the temple complex where the famous handicrafts of Orissan architectures were displayed and sold. The festival is being organised during the 1st of December to 5th of December every year.

Magha Saptami festival -
The Magha Festival which is also known as Chandrabhaga festival is a famous religious festival held on the Chandrabhaga river in Konark. This week long festival is one of the most biggest festival held in Orissa after the Rath Yatra. Magha Saptami festival is held in the month of February in the honour of lord Surya, the God Sun. During this festival, before dawn millions of devotees gather here to worship God Surya during sunrise. The devotees take a holy dip in the river water which they believe cures their illness. The spiritual benefits of this holy bath are compared equal to that of holy bath in the Ganges. During this festival a mela is arranged in the area.

How to get there –
You can visit Konark during any time of the year, as it has a favorable climatic condition throughout the 12 months period.

Airport – There is no direct connection to Konark by air. . The nearest airport is at Bhubaneswar, 65 kms away.
Indian Airlines, Jet Air, and Sahara connect Bhubaneswar to Delhi, Calcutta, Madras, Hyderabad, and Nagpur.

Rail- The nearest railway station is Puri which is 33 kms away and Bhubaneswar is 65 kms from Konark. These two railway stations are connected to all the major cities in India through long-distance trains.

Road – Konark is connected by road with both Bhubaneswar & Puri . It takes 2 hours fro Bhubaneswar to reach Konark and less than a hour from Puri. One can visit Konark temple from Puri by taxi also. Orissa State Road Transport Corporation and private buses ply from all parts of the state. Deluxe coach services from Calcutta, Bijapur, and Vishakhapatnam are available.

Local watchables –
Chandrabhaga - 3.5 Km from Konark Temple, this beach is rated as one of the finest beaches with clean sand and deep blue sea water. During the clear sky the golden sunrise on the blue sea waters is a life time experience to watch. During Magha –Saptami in February-March people take holy bath in the sea water.

Ramachandi - 8 Km away from Konark Temple, Ramachandi Temple is on a beautiful spot on the banks of the Kusabhadra River where it flows into the Bay of Bengal. Goddess Ramachandi, is the temple of Mayadevi, wife of Sun god. The temple of Goddess ‘Ramachandi’ on the river mouth of Kushabhadra river is a splendid scenic picnic resort.

Astaranga - Right on the Sea-shore, it is 91 kilometers from Puri and 10 kilometers from Kakatapur. Astaranga presents a panaromic view especially during sunset on a multi-coloured horizon as if to justify the literal meaning of its name. It is a center of salt production and fishing.

Pipli - On the way to Konark, Pipli is famous for its exquisite applique work. In Pipli the colourful garden and beach umbrellas, shoulder and hand bags, awnings, canopies etc are made which depict the essence of Oriya culture. The beautiful & artistic products made up of blend of different colourful pieces of clothes stitched together look gorgeous.

Kakatapur – it is 45 kms away from Konark situated in the Prachi valley. This place is famous for the shrines of Goddess Mangala & Banadurga. The legend about this place is that the direction for reaching the holy log from which is created Lord Jagannath’s icon comes from her. In the month of April-May every year famous “Jhamu Yatra” is being held where the patuas or devotees of lower castes walk through a narrow passage hot charcoal to display the extreme devotion to God.

Bhagabati Temple, Konark – 2 Km from Konark Temple
Chilka -70 Km from Konark Temple

The magnificent 192 ft. high, 12th century A.D. temple of Jagannath is one of the finest specimens of Orissan architecture. The temple and the deities enshrined are revered by millions of pilgrims coming to seek Lord?s blessings. Despite being closed for the non-Hindus, Jagannath continues to attract scholars of Oriental studies from all over the world.

Sri Jagannath Temple
The main temple, a majestic structure of 65 metres high, stands on an elevated platform in the heart of the city ? its swirling pinnacle commanding the landscape for the miles around. It is a monument of the 12th century A.D. with all the richness and plasticity of the Kalinga style of architecture. Apart from the main temple one can see within its precincts a host of other smaller temples including Goddess Vimala, Laxmi and Vishnu and Ananda Bazar, a unique restaurant of the world.

The other notable shrines like Gundicha, Lokanath, Sonar Gourange, Siddha Bakul, Gambhira Math, Chakratirtha and tanks like Narendra, Swetaganga, Markandeya, Indradyumna, etc are worth visiting.

Festivals
The festival of chariots known as the Ratha Yatra, an annual ritual spreading over the entire summer and monsoon months, makes Puri attractive and enjoyable for the tourists. The Hindu new year beginning in Mid April heralds the summer and is the season for the famous Chandan yatra at Puri. The Chalanti Pratimas or moving images of the deities take a ritual boat ride after a refreshing bath in fragrant sandal wood scented water. This is followed by Snana Yatra, literally the festival of bath, in which the main images are installed on the bathing platform and given a ceremonial bath. The Lords then convalesce inside the sanctum sanctorum, closed to public view. During theis period the devotees have to be satisfied with a darshan of images of the Lords on cloth paintings or Pattachitra especially made for the purpose. Then comes the annual journey of the three deities, on grand chariots to their garden house ? ?GUNDICHA?. On the way their aunt feeds them with Podapitha (specially baked rice cakes). The deities on reaching Shri Gundicha give darshan to countless devotees everyday and after a lapse of 8 days, return to the main temple riding their chariots. Apart from this, tourist festivals like Shreekshetra Ustav & Beach Festival are also great attraction for the tourists.

The Beach
Puri offers a rare opportunity to the tourists to witness the colourful sunrise and sunset on the same beach where they can bathe and laze for hours on the golden sands. One can also see and enjoy traditional fishermen in hundreds, plying their catamarans or sail boats and drawing into their nets a rich catch of prawn, pomfrets and other fishes on this long and wide beach extending for miles. The roadside hotels and stalls offer the best sea food delicacies to the tourists.

Bada Danda
The grand road, as it is called, is ideal for a leisurely stroll and shopping for souvenirs and mementoes. Typical Puri handicrafts include miniature stone sculptures, woodcarvings, seashell items, patta paintings on cloth canvas and colorful appliqu? work. One can also pick up these pieces from Art and Craft Museum, Sun Crafts, Utkalika and other many of the shop?s located in around Sargadwar, literally, the Gateway to Heaven.

Accomodation
All type of Hotels, Resorts, Holiday Homes are available.

OTDC Assistance: -
Website : www.orissatourism.gov.in and www.otdc.in
Email : ortour@orissatourism.gov.in

Puri
Tourist Office, CT Road, Puri – 752002, Tel : 06752-222664,
Tourist Counter, Railway Station Puri, Tel : 223536.
Berhampur
Tourist Office, New Bus Stand,
Pin – 760004, Tel: (0680) 2280226
Tourist Counter, Railway Station, Pin – 760004, Tel: 2203870
Bhubaneswar
Tourist Office, Jayadev Marg, Pin – 751002, Tel : 0674-2431299,
Tourist Counter, Airport, Tel : 2534006,
Tourist Counter, Railway Station, Tel : 2530715,
India Tourism, B-21, B.J.B Nagar, Pin – 751014, Tel : 2432203.
New Delhi
Tourist Office, Utkalika, B/4 – Baba Kharak Singh Marg, New Delhi, Pin – 110001,
Telefax – 011-23364580.
Kolkata
Tourist Office, Utkal Bhawan,
55, Lenin Sarani, Kolkata, Pin – 700013,
Tel: 033-22443653.
Chennai
Tourist Office, Tamilnadu Tourism Complex, Near Kalaivanar Arangam, Wallajah Road,
Pin – 600002, Telefax: 044-25360891.
Mumbai
Tourist Office, Hotel New Bengal, Near Crawford Market, D.N. Road, Pin – 400001, Tel : 022-23401951.

(Content Source – Courtesy Orissa Tourism Development Corporation)

State : Orrisa

Altitude :

Season : Throughout the year

How to Reach :
Air
Bhubaneswar is the nearest airport – 60 km Indian Airlines has flights from Delhi, Kolkata, Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Chennai and Mumbai. Sahara Airlines has flights from Hyderabad with connectivity facilities to all other important cities. Air Deccan and some other flight operators operates between Kolkata & Bhubaneswar.
Rail
A terminus on the East Coast Railway having fast and superfast train links with New Delhi, Kolkata and Baidyanath Dham (Okha), Ahmedabad, Tirupati, etc.
Road –
60 km by road from Bhubaneswar. One can also approach by road via Konark through the Marine Drive covering about 100 kms.

Nearest Railway Station : Puri

Nearest Airport : Bhubaneswar

Local Watchables :
PURI
Balighai (8 km)
Sea Beach and Sea Turtle Research Centre
Baliharachandi (27 km)
Shrine of Harachandi on the desolate sand dunes and a nice picnic spot.
Beleswar (15 km)
Shrine of Lord Beleswar Shiva on the sea beach.
Brahmagiri (25 km)
Shrine of Lord Alaranath, worshipped as Jagannath during ‘Anavasar’.
Raghurajpur (14 km)
Artisan village & centre for unique ‘Gotipua’ dance.
Sakshigopal (20 km)
Shrine of Lord Sakshigopal and Samadhi of Panchasakha, freedom fighters monument.
Satpada (50 km)
A scenic spot on Chilika, ideal for bird watching & viewing Irawady Dolphins.