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The Statesman – 8th Day,
18th June 2006.
SATPADA -- The Blue Lagoon
Rangan Datta goes on an unforgettable cruise through the blue
expanse of Chilka Lake in the company of egrets, herons, flamingoes,
kingfishers, kites and dolphins
Geographers define a “lagoon” as a special type of lake separated
from the sea by a narrow natural embankment with small openings
connecting it with the sea. On the other hand biologists claim that
these small openings allow salt and sweet water to intermingle and
thereby form a unique, but fragile, ecosystem found nowhere else in
the world.
 For a
layman like myself, it is a place where one can cruise through the
endless expanse of blue water, laced with green hills in the company
of egrets, herons, flamingoes, kingfisher, kites and the last but
not least the elusive jumping dolphins – it’s paradise!
You may have guessed it by now – this is Chilka, India’s largest
brackish water lagoon and one of the subcontinent’s largest
winter-ground for migratory birds. Located just south of Puri, the
1100 sq kms (it shrinks to 900 sq kms during the dry season) lake is
bordered on the north by the alluvial plain of Mahanadi Delta and on
the east and South by the rocky hills of Eastern Ghats.
Located at different strategic positions of the lake are a number of
tourist spots, including Satpada, famous for its dolphins sightings.
Located about 50 kms from Puri, Satpada is visited by hordes of
tourists on day trips. This is definitely an injustice to one of the
most ecologically diversified water body of the country. One needs
to spending a night at Satpada to get a real feel of the lake and
which also provides the opportunity for witnessing an unforgettable
sunrise and sunset.
Our trip to the “blue lagoon” started off from Puri in an
overcrowded bus. As we travelled from terminus to terminus, the
crowd was not that much of a problem, rather, the bus was terribly
slow and it took almost three hours for the 50 kms journey. The last
stretch offered fantastic views of the lake. We checked in at the
OTDC Pantha Nivas at Satpada, where the room-boy took us through an
intricate maze of elevated corridors to our room overlooking the
Chilka.
After lunch and a brief rest in the comfort of our hotel room, we
were out in the jetty to admire the stunning beauty of the lake.
Finally, we watched the sunset turning the water and sky into a
bright shade of scarlet. We waited long after dusk had settled to
watch the rippling dark waters under the star-studded sky.
The next morning, after a quick breakfast we hopped into one of the
numerous boats for a real good look at the lake. We headed straight
for the dolphin viewpoint, where with some difficulty we did spot
some dolphins, but sadly they hardly leapt out of water.
Our disappointment was soon overcome by a remarkable journey through
the lake where the boatman, with remarkable skills, guided our boat
through a complicated maze of fishing nets attached to bamboo poles.
Chilka, being a lagoon, is connected with the sea by two narrow
openings, and one of these was our destination.
The one-hour journey took us past fishing villages located on the
numerous islands that dot the lagoon. We landed on a narrow stretch
of sand separating the lake from the sea. On our east lay the rough
seas of the Bay of Bengal and on the west were the calm waters of
Chilka.
This narrow stretch of sand also houses some makeshift food stalls
selling fried fish and crabs but the centre of attraction is
definitely the pearls sold straight out of oyster shells!
After a short stroll to the actual mouth of the sea, we returned to
the boat for the journey back to Satpada.
A wonderful lunch of crab and prawn awaited us at Satpada, where a
number of makeshift restaurants serve excellent food. Think twice
before ordering the jumbo crab, as you will need a giant appetite to
handle the one kilo heavy crustacean.
After lunch we visited the Chilka Information Centre for a real
insight into the lake. Different models, diagrams, charts, LCD
displays explain the diverse aspects of the lake.
After a short rest we took the evening bus to Puri, marking the end
of our remarkable journey, which took us straight into the lap of
nature.
Getting there: Puri can be reached by Jagannath/ Puri
Express. Regular bus fare: Rs. 21 which run between Puri and Satpada.
Taxis are available too. Conducted tours are also organised.
Places to Stay: OTDC Pantha Nivas is the only place to stay.
Rooms are available at Rs. 250. For bookings, contact: Utkal Bhawan,
55 Lenin Sarani, Kolkata -700013. Ph: 2244 3653.
Restaurants: OTDC has its own restaurant and there are a few
more roadside restaurants serving wonderful crabs and prawns.
Boat ride: OTDC organises boat rides for dolphin sighting and
to the mouth of Chilka at Rs. 100 (approx.) on a shared boat.
Private 6-seater boats are available for the same trip for about Rs.
650.
If you are there during winter, you could add a few more rupees for
a visit to the bird sanctuary at Nalban Island for migratory birds. |
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