Exploring the Hidden Treasures of Odisha: Chilika Lake

One of the great things about travelling on your own is the ability to disappear off the beaten track occasionally. There is always a little thrill about not really knowing what’s around the corner, and essentially having to be your own tour guide. After spending some time discovering the many temples of Bhubaneswar, I headed down the coast to Puri. The town is famous as a seaside getaway, and I decided to head further south and see what else Odisha had to offer.

Of course, I didn’t realise just what was in store for me when I left Puri, which is well known for its famous religious site, the Jagannath Mandir, and proximity to the World Heritage Site, the Sun Temple of Konark. It also hosts the Konark Dance and Music Festival (from 19^th to 23rd February this year) that celebrates the arts of India.

Boarding a bus at the Puri bus station, I asked a few people around me if the bus was heading to Chilika Lake. An elderly lady nodded and patted the empty seat next to her.  An hour later, the bus conductor came past and gave me a rather concerning look when I tried to pay for a ticket to the town of Barkul. I pulled out my map and pointed to my destination, only for him to shake his head, laugh and say “dusro bas”. He pointed to where our bus was headed and then left.

We were headed to the town of Satapada which is also located on Chilika Lake.  However it is situated on the other side of the lake. As Chilika Lake is the largest lake in Asia, getting around or across was unlikely to be as simple as taking a short boat ride.

Upon arriving in Satapada, I was advised that the ferry to Barkul had just left and the next one would arrive in 24 hours. With no other option, I commissioned a local fisherman to take me out on his boat to see the lake. Chilika Lake is the largest brackish lake in Asia, renowned for being the perfect place to observe many of the birds of India. Many of the famous lakes in India are in the North, particularly in the Himalayas; I was interested to see what treasures this lesser known place had.

Within 5 minutes of leaving the jetty we encountered some Irrawaddy dolphins, diving playfully in and out of the water. The boat ride took me through small villages dotted along the coast and to the sea mouth.  Birds flew around our boat as we sailed along in silence.  There were no other tourists in sight, it was bliss.

The sea mouth was a long sand bar, the lake on one side and the sea on the other, with a relatively small break which allowed the salt water into the lake. There was nothing but a small tea stand selling hot cups of chai and snacks.  With a steaming cup in hand, we headed back to the shore. 

Whilst it wasn’t part of my plan, my short stay here is now one of my favourite memories of Odisha.  A lazy lakeside town, where dolphins play, birds glide gracefully in the sunshine and the scent of salt fills the air.

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