![Chilika lake is a brackish water lagoon, spread over the Puri, Khurda and Ganjam districts of Odisha state on the east coast of India, at the mouth of the Daya River, flowing into the Bay of Bengal, covering an area of over 1,100 km2. It is the largest coastal lagoon in India and the second largest lagoon in the world[3][4][dubious â discuss] after The New Caledonian barrier reef in New Caledonia.
It is the largest wintering ground for migratory birds on the Indian sub-continent. The lake is home to a number of threatened species of plants and animals.
The lake is an ecosystem with large fishery resources. It sustains more than 150,000 fisherâfolk living in 132 villages on the shore and islands.
The lagoon hosts over 160 species of birds in the peak migratory season. Birds from as far as the Caspian Sea, Lake Baikal, Aral Sea and other remote parts of Russia, Kirghiz steppes of Mongolia, Central and southeast Asia, Ladakh and Himalayas come here. These birds travel great distances; migratory birds probably follow much longer routes than the straight lines, possibly up to 12,000 km, to reach Chilika Lake.
In 1981, Chilika Lake was designated the first Indian wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.
According to a survey, 45 percent of the birds are terrestrial in nature, 32 percent are waterfowl, and 23 percent are waders. The lagoon is also home to 14 types of raptors. Around 152 rare and endangered Irrawaddy dolphins have also been reported. Plus, the lagoon supports about 37 species of reptiles and amphibians.
The highly productive chilika lagoon eco-system with its rich fishery resources sustains the livelihood for many fisher men who live in and near the Lagoon. The water spread area of the Lagoon ranges between 1165 and 906 km2 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. More recently a new mouth has been opened by CDA which has brought a new lease of life to the lagoon.
Microalgae, marine seaweeds, sea grasses, fishes and crabs also flourish in the brackish water of the Chilika Lagoon. Especially the recovery of sea grass beds in recent years is a welcoming trend which may eventually result in re-colorizations of endangered dugongs.](https://images.trvl-media.com/place/553248621562261891/1e8fd9af-7b1f-490e-95b1-2f9fb2318e30.jpg?impolicy=fcrop&w=600&h=400&p=1&q=medium)
![Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves are partly natural and partly artificial caves of archaeological, historical and religious importance near the city of Bhubaneswar in Odisha, India. The caves are situated on two adjacent hills, Udayagiri and Khandagiri, mentioned as Kumari Parvat in the Hathigumpha inscription. They have a number of finely and ornately carved caves built during 2nd century BCE.[1] It is believed that most of these caves were carved out as residential blocks for Jain monks during the reign of King Kharavela.[2] Udayagiri means "Sunrise Hill" and has 18 caves while Khandagiri has 15 caves.[3]
The caves of Udayagiri and Khandagiri, called lena or leáča in the inscriptions, were dug out mostly during the reign of Kharavela for the abode of Jaina ascetics. The most important of this group is Ranigumpha in Udayagiri which is a double storeyed monastery. Other important caves include Hathi gumpha, Ananta gumpha, Ganesha gumpha, Jaya Vijaya gumpha, Mancapuri gumpha, Bagh gumpha and Sarpa gumpha.](https://images.trvl-media.com/place/501/2282ce89-b81c-4283-b512-b77afc88809e.jpg?impolicy=fcrop&w=600&h=400&p=1&q=medium)
Partez sans plus attendre pour Odisha, une ville d'art et d'histoire
Des temples, de l'histoire ou encore des comédies musicales : vivez Odisha à 200 %. Bien connue pour l'observation des dauphins, l'écotourisme et son site archéologique, cette ville offre un petit quelque chose pour tous les vacanciers. Choisissez une location de vacances et déconnectez tout en vous sentant comme chez vous ! De nombreuses locations offrent des cuisines équipées et des barbecues pour se faire plaisir en famille ou entre amis.
Activités et attractions à Odisha et dans les environs
Vous avez envie de connaßtre les incontournables en ville ? N'hésitez pas à sortir de votre location de vacances pour explorer tout ce que Odisha a à offrir. Voici une sélection des lieux touristiques à voir à moins de 50 km du centre-ville :
- Parc aquatique Ocean World Water Park (11,5 km)
- Nandankanan Zoological Park (15,5 km)
- Qadam-I-Rasool (1 km)
- Ashokan Rock Edict (4,3 km)
à la découverte du cadre naturel de Odisha
Que vous ayez l'ùme d'un aventurier ou désiriez simplement passer un peu de temps à contempler le paysage, Odisha est le lieu idéal pour des vacances avec dame Nature. Voici plusieurs des sites naturels les plus appréciés de la région, à moins de 50 km du centre.
- Bindu Sagar (2,1 km)
- Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves (5,6 km)
- Buddha Jayanti Park (7,8 km)
- Ekamra Kanan (6,3 km)
- Fort Barabati (25,2 km)
- Daya River (15,4 km)
Quels transports pour se rendre à Odisha et explorer la région ?
L'aéroport le plus proche se trouve à Aéroport de Bhubaneshwar Biju Patnaik (BBI), à 2,6 km du centre-ville.
Si vous préférez voyager en train, Gare de Bhubaneswar, Gare de Mancheswar et Gare de Retang sont les principales gares des environs.