Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | NXg | Friday Review | Cinema Plus | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

KINGDOM OF THE WINGED The lake is visited by flocks of migratory birds from afar

Bhubaneshwar may not be the first city to draw the tourist’s attention but this sleepy capital of Orissa is a gateway to many beautiful spots on the eastern Indian coastline including Chilka, the largest saltwater lake in India are familiar names.

Chilka lake is home to the Nalaban bird sanctuary and the best season to visit is between October and March when migratory birds arrive from as far as Siberia.

One winter morning, our family of six and the driver set off for the town of Barkul, which is situated on the lake. It’s a smooth drive but the scenery is nothing to write home about. Red earth and scrub mark the flat, unaccented land, and every rare hill has been turned into an ugly quarry spewing grey stone. Occasional cashew groves break the tedium and would probably be a pretty sight in the flowering season. The last stretch however, was horrifying.We jolted our way to Panthanivas, a lodge run by the Orissa Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC).

The old hotel has had a few cottages tacked on in an attempt to appeal to the more discerning tourist. These look exactly like water towers with their legs cut off and an unfinished tower standing next to them added to the illusion. The cottages, supposedly three to four years old, gleam on the outside but the inside tell a different story.

Badly bleached sheets barely cover the stained mattresses and there are exposed wires that I warn the children against. The plumbing is suspect. When was the last time any maintenance was done? Compensation arrived in the form of excellent food as we ravenously tucked into snacks and dinner after our two-hour drive.

Oriyas have a reputation for being good cooks and the chef at the restaurant of the lodge lived up to this as we savoured some of the best vegetable pakoras I have ever eaten. The lake virtually laps on the shore of the lodge. A long pier protects an optimistic “water sports” lagoon, which is now used for religious rites and washing clothes. Paddle boats and motor boats run by the OTDC are available for rent but the early dusk and mosquito armies sent us scurrying back to our rooms.

The next morning we woke up before dawn and were rewarded with the sight of a gorgeous sunrise. Blink, and you miss the sun popping up from the placid waters. After breakfast, we set out to rent a boat to the bird sanctuary. The locals and tourists on the pier were all on their way to the Kalijai temple located on one of the many islands that dot the lake.

We were probably the only visitors who were interested in the sanctuary and the reason for that soon became apparent. Travelling with two children with low attention spans, we decided on the two-hour boat trip to the sanctuary. Other options were a three-hour ride that would include the temple and a much longer ride to the spit that separates the lagoon from the Bay of Bengal.

For the patient traveller, there is a great deal of beauty in the calm emerald waters of the lake. Fishermen and their boats form picturesque silhouettes against the dawn and the silence is profound when the motor switches off.

Chilka is heavily fished, necessitating the creation of the protected sanctuary. No one is allowed to set foot on the islands and marshes. So visitors have to be content with long distance view of the birds. Binoculars are a must, though we did see a Brahminy kite and two magnificent sea eagles. Intensive fishing has also driven off the dolphins which may or may not be seen in Satapada, a town some 48 km up the coast. Serious tourists should venture out to the sandbar where the lake meets the sea.

While Chilka can technically be covered in a day, the dawn boat trip forces the overnight stay. Panthanivas is pretty awful by international standards, but it is the best of the limited bunch of residential options in the area. Ignore room conditions, gorge on the food and appreciate the service. This is a place to relax and enjoy the beauty of the eastern Indian coastline.

Call Panthanivas at 91 6756 220488 or email otdc@ortel.net/ otdc@panthanivas.com.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail