ଆଲୋଚନା:ଚିଲିକା ହ୍ରଦ

Chilika Lake, popularly known as Chilka, the queen of Natural scenery in Orissa, also known as the Swiss-lake in the continent. Nestling in the heart of coastal Orissa, Chilika is India's biggest inland lake. Spread over 1165 square kilometres during the monsoon season and 906 square kilometres during dry season, it runs along the borders of three districts of Puri, Khurda and Ganjam and finally joins the Bay of Bengal through a narrow mouth, forming an enormous lagoon of brackish water. Chilika is the largest brackish water lagoon of Asia situated on east coast of India. It is situated between 19028' and 19054' North latitude and 85005' and 5038' East longitude. Due to its high productive ecosystem, rich biodiversity and socio-economic importance, Chilika was designated as a Ramsar site in October 1981, under the convention of wetlands of international importance. In winter Chilika lagoon flutters with thousands of migratory birds and water-fowls from as far as the Siberia, Caspian sea, Lake Baikal, Aral sea, remote parts of Russia, Kirghiz steppes of Mangolia, central and south east Asia, Ladakh and the Himalayas for feeding, resting and roosting. Every year the birds start coming to the lake around the second and third week of October and stay up to March. They start their homeward journey at commencement of summer.

The lake is famous for bareheaded geese and common geese,etc. chilika is home to a rich variety of aquatic flora and fauna. Chilika is veritable wonder of nature. Containing a large variety of fish the lake privides livelihood to thousands of fishermen. Hundreds of boats sail out daily on the lake's blue expanse in search of mackerel, prawn and crabs, this sight providing an insight into the pageant of rural India at its colourful best.