Chilika Lake
About the city
Chilika is the largest lagoon along the east coast of India, situated between latitude 190 28' and 190 54' N and longitude 850 05' and 850 38' E. The lagoon is a unique assemblage of marine, brackish and fresh water eco-system with estuarine characters. It is one of the hotspots of biodiversity and shelters a number of endangered species listed in the IUCN red list of threatened species, and also is a designated Ramsar site. It is an avian grandeur and the wintering ground for more than one million migratory birds. The highly productive lagoon eco-system with its rich fishery resources sustains the livelihood of more than 0.15 million-fisher folk who live in and around the Lagoon. The water spread area of the Lagoon varies between 1165 to 906 Sq.km during the monsoon and summer respectively. A 32 km long, narrow, outer channel connects the lagoon to the Bay of Bengal, near the village Motto, recently a new mouth was opened by CDA which has brought a new lease of life to the lagoon.The total number of fish species are reported to be 225 (Dean and Saaltink, 1991). Along with a variety of phytoplankton, algae and aquatic plants, the Lagoon region also supports over 720 species of non-aquatic plants (CDA). A survey of the fauna of Chilika carried out by the Zoological Survey of India in 1985-87 recorded over 800 species in and around the lagoon. This list includes a number of rare, threatened and endangered species, including the Barakudia limbless skink. On account of its rich bio-diversity, Chilika was designated as a "Ramsar Site", i.e. a wetland of International Importance. The Nalaban Island within the Lagoon is notified as a Bird Sanctuary under Wildlife (Protection) Act, the lagoon is also identified as a priority site for conservation and management by the National Wetland coral reefs Committee of Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India. The Lagoon is a highly productive ecosystem and with it's rich fishery resources sustains the livelihood of more than 1,50,000 fisher folk who live in and around the lagoon.
The mouth connecting the channel to the sea is close to the northeastern end of the Lagoon.
Nalaban, one of the biggest islands, is a 10 km marsh which is submerged during the four or five monsoon months, but is a major feeding and roosting habitat during winter for over a hundred species of migratory birds, which arrive in October from their temperate breeding grounds. These birds include a few species of flamingos, over a dozen species of ducks, and several migratory birds.
Due to the varying degrees of salinity in different parts of the lake, the fauna is interestingly diverse, with a variety of animals adapting to a marine existence to survive in different parts of the lake. Animal life recorded in the lake ranges from planktonic microorganisms to a vast variety of fish, which together sustain the migratory birds population in winter. A few estuarine turtles and snakes are found here along with species of dolphins, otters and several rodents, bats and sloth bears on the hills. Around 158 species of fishes and prawns have so far been recorded.
Legend and geology provide interesting contrasts in their versions of the history of chilika. Legend reveals that the pirate King Raktabahhu came to ransack Puri with a huge fleet of ships. He anchored out of sight to avoid detection, but the sea washed up refuse from the ships to shore and warned the townspeople, who fled with all their possessions. Raktabahu thus found a deserted city when he finally arrived. Furious, he insisted that the sea had betrayed him and ordered his army to attack it. The sea entered the seabed in pursuit. Then it surged back, drowning the army and forming what is now Chilika lagoon.Many ancient texts mention the southern sector of Chilika as being a major harbour for martime commerce, back in the days when the King of Kalinga was known as Lord of the Sea. Indeed, some rocks in the Southern sector are marked by a band of white formed by remains of coral (which are exclusively marine). This band is at a height of 8m above the current water level, a clear indication that the area was once marine, and the water much deeper that it is today.
Geological studies tell us that the coastline extended along the western shores of Chilika in the Pleistocene era, and that the entire northeastern region above Chilika was under the sea. Since then, the coastlilne has moved considerably eastward (Chatterjee and Goswami 1966). Similarly, the Konark temple, built on the seashore a few hundred years ago, is now over 3 km from the coast.
Most lagoons seen today were formed as a result of a worldwide rise in sea levels over the last 6,000-8,000 years. There was a pause in the rise in sea levels about 7,000 years ago, when a sandy beach might have formed near the coast at the Southern sector, As the sea rose further, this sand beach grew gradually. It progressed seaward and to the northeast, to form what is now the spit of Chilika. A recent fossil from the southwestern edge of the spit has been dated to about 3,500-4,000 years ago, which is some indication of howlong ago the lagoon was formed (Venkataratnam 1970). The growth of the spit at Chilika is supposed to be due to the abbrupt change in the direction of the coast north of the lake, strong winds transferring sand to the shore, longshore drift, and the presence or absence of strong river and tidal currents in different areas (Bandyopandyay and Gopal 1991)
The spit of Chilika is constantly changing. The sand bar has been widening, and the position of the mouth contantly shifting, moving generally towards the northeast. The mouth was described as being about 1.5 km wide in 1780, and had decresed to half that within forty years (Hunter 1877). The mouth frequently gets choked up and has to be cut open artificially, often by the local fisherfolk, whose livelihood depends critically on maintaining an access for the sea to enter Chilika. Meanwhile the former seabed that is now Chilika is being gradually silted up by the rivers running into it, converting, the lagoon into its present shallow state.
Chilika is an integral part of the culture of coastal Orissa. Almost 400 years ago, the saint poet Purshottam Das, a devotee of Lord Jagannath, wrote a poem about Lord Krishna dancing with a milkmaid called Maniki, who had come to sell curds on the banks of the Chilika. Even today, a villave Manikagauda (gauda being the cowherd caste) stands on Chilika lagoon. More recently, the great Oriya poet, Radhanath Rai, fascinated by the beauty of the lagoon, wrote an epic poem 'Chilika" which is regarded as a masterpiece of descriptive geography. The freedom fighter Gopababdhu Das (know as "Orissa's Gandhi"), in his book "Bandir Atmakatha" ("Autobiography of a prisoner"), wrote eloquently about Chilika viewed from a train travelling along its banks in the 1920's.
When the British invaded Orissa from the south in 1803, the traitor Fateh Muhammed met them on the shores of Chilika. He showed them the eastern route, by which they managed to reach Puri undetected. In, return, Fateh Muhammed was given freehold of the areas of Malud and Parikud, most of which is today called Garh Krishnaprasad block.
The British and settlement for Orissa in 1897-98 recorded the exclusive enjoyment of fisheries in Chilika by the fishermen community. The fisheries of Chilika were part of the Zamindari estates of Khallikote, Parikud, Suna Bibi, Mirza Taher Baig and the Chaudhary families of Bhungarpur and the Khas mahal areas of Khurda, lying within the kingdoms of the Rajas of Parikud and Khallikote. The zamindars used to lease out the fisheries exclusively to the local fisherfolk. The Birtish also started a Cooperative
store in Balugaon in 1926 to provide fishing equipment to locals. In addition, the British constituted 25 Primary Fishermen Cooperatives during the Second World War (OFC undated).
During these centuries of exclusive rights, fisherfolk evolved a complex system of partitioning the fisheries of Chilika amongst themselves. Several castes of fisherfolk developed a large array of fishing techniques, nets and gear. According to the fisherfolk the harvested the lake in a relatively sustainable fashion (Mohanty and Das, unpublished). After the abolition of zamindari in 1953, traditional fishing areas continued to be leased out to cooperatives of local fishermen. As fishing (particularly prawn fishing) become increasingly remunerative, outside interests began entering the area.
The leasing system broke down completely in 1991 when the Orissa government outlined leasing policy that would in essence have resulted in the auction of leases to the highest bidder. The cooperatives challenged the order in court, and the Orissa High Court directed the Government to make changes that would safeguard traditional fishermen's interests. However, no new lease have been issued to date. As a result, chaos reigns and the local people are being marginalized by powerful outsiders (Das 1993).
Recently the Government of Orissa have issued a notification banning the lease of Chilika for Culture fishery.
Abundant with bird life, thick with fishes and strewn with lush green wetlands along its shores-welcome to Chilika Lake, a vision straight out of a picture book. One of Asia's largest lagoons, this wetland of the Indian subcontinent sustains over 25,000 small fishermen. It attracts a large number of aquatic birds, most of which are the focus of intensive studies and research.
Studded with many small islands, including the picturesque Honeymoon Island and Breakfast Island-a sandy ridge separates the lake from the Bay of Bengal. An extraordinary array of bird life, both native and migrant, makes Chilika one of the best places for all bird lovers. Among other rare birds, Chilika is home to one of the world's largest breeding colonies of flamingos.
Chilika is the abode of the Goddess Kali. In fact, Chilika has an island dedicated to the Goddess, by the name Kalijai. A ferry or a boat is always available to cross over. On the shore of the lake, is the Orissa Tourism Rest House - the rooms are a good bet for they overlook the lake. The other advantage is the mouth watering sea food which is served here - fortunately, there are no birds on the menu or one would tend to suspect the cause for dwindling numbers! The lake is fascinating and if you can brave the luxury of time, it is certainly a journey worth making.