Chilka Lake

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Author: Laxman Burdak लक्ष्मण बुरड़क
Location of Chilka Lake
Location of Chilka Lake

Chilka Lake (चिलका झील) is a brackish water coastal lake in India's Orissa state, south of the mouth of the Mahanadi River. It is the largest coastal lake in India.

Variants

Location

The larger islands lie between the sandbar and the lake, separated by shallow channels, and include Parikud, Phulbari, Berahpura, Nuapara, Nalbana, and Tampara. These islands, together with the peninsula of Malud, constitute the Krushnaprasad revenue block of Puri District. The north shore of the lake is part of Khordha District, and the western shore is part of Ganjam District.

Jat clans

Chilka : Chilka Lake is associated with Chilka Gotra of Jat clan.

Chilka Lake details

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 biggest lake of India.[1] This lake is the largest coastal lagoon in India and the largest brackish water lagoon in the world[2] after The New Caledonian barrier reef. It has been listed as a tentative UNESCO World Heritage site.[3]

The lake is an ecosystem with large fishery resources. It sustains more than 150,000 fisher–folk living in 132 villages on the shore and islands.[4]

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 Kazakhstan, Central and southeast Asia, Ladakh and Himalayas come here. These birds travel great distances; some of them possibly travel as much as 12,000 km to reach Chilika Lake.

In 1981, Chilika Lake was designated the first Indian wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.[5]

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 fishermen 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, fish and crab also flourish in the brackish water of the Chilika Lagoon. Especially the recovery of seagrass beds in recent years is a welcoming trend which may eventually result in re-colonization of endangered dugongs.[6]

History

Geological evidence indicates that Chilika Lake was part of the Bay of Bengal during the later stages of the Pleistocene period (1.8 million to 10,000 years BP).

Excavations were conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India at Golabai Sasan (20°1′7″N 85°32′54″E) just north of Chilika lake in Khurdha district.[7] Golabai provides evidence of a sequence of Chilika area culture in three phases: Neolithic (c. 1600 BCE), Chalcolithic (c. 1400 BCE to c. 900 BCE) and Iron Age (c. 900 BCE to c. 800 BCE). Radiocarbon dating traced the earliest level of Golbai to 2300 BCE. The site is located on the left bank of the Malaguni River, a tributary of the Daya River, which flows into Chilika Lake. This location, which gave access to the sea via Chilika Lake, gives strong evidence of the maritime activities of this region. The recovery of many woodworking adzes and other artifacts shows that Golabai was a boat-building centre. Significantly, Golabai is the only excavated site in Odisha where boat building has been revealed. This also indicates that Chilika lake was very close to Golabai and it facilitated the maritime trade of people in the area during the ancient period.[8]

Some ancient texts say the southern sector of Chilika was a major harbour for maritime commerce, when Kharavela (c. 209 BCE–after 170 BCE), the King of Kalinga, was known as the "Lord of the Sea".[9]

Ptolemy (150 CE), the Greek geographer, referred to Palur as the port Paloura, located close to the point of departure situated outside of the southern tip of the lake at Kantiagarh, from where ships bound for different parts of Southeast Asia sailed. After 639, the Chinese pilgrims Fa-Hien and Hiuen-Tsang mention a famous port "Che-li-ta-loChing" near the shore of the ocean which was a thoroughfare and resting place for seagoing traders and strangers from distant lands. This port was located at 'Chhatragarh' on the banks of Chilika Lake. [10]

A fourth-century legend, often told to explain the birth of Chilika, states that the pirate king, Raktabahhu, planned to attack Puri with a huge fleet of ships. To avoid detection, he stealthily anchored out of sight, off the mouth to the sea. The deception was revealed by the ships' refuse floating to the shore, thus warning the town's people, who escaped with all their possessions. Raktabahu felt betrayed when he found an abandoned town and directed his fury towards the sea that had betrayed him. The sea parted to let the army march in, then surged back, drowned the army and formed the present lake.[11]

Archeological excavations discovered seventh-century ship anchors and stone memoirs dedicated to battle heroes at a village named Kanas, about 25 km north of Chilika on the banks of Nuna River, which flows into the lake. This gives evidence of a historic naval engagement off the coast.

A 10th-century text, the Brahmanda Purana, mentions Chilika Lake as an important centre of trade and commerce, and a shelter for ships sailing to Java, Malaya, Singhala, China and other countries. This suggests that the lake was then deep enough for berthing seagoing ships and had a channel to the sea big enough for loaded trading ships embarking to Southeast Asia.[12] The villagers around Chilika Lake still observe an annual festival called "Bali Yatra" (Journey to Bali).

In 1803, the British entered the shores of the lake, reached Puri and occupied Odisha with the help of Fateh Muhammed. Fateh Muhammed, in turn, was rewarded by the British with freehold of the areas of Malud and Parikud, of the present day Garh Krishnaprasad revenue block.[13]

Over the years, poets including Kabibar Radhanath Ray and Pandit Godavarish Mishra, freedom fighters and Saints have extolled historicity of the lake as pertinent to its cultural, spiritual, religious and scenic aspects.[14]

"Gopabandhu Das, a famous Odiya poet, became impatient to see the beauty of the march of colorful sights and sounds of Chilika lagoon while going by train. He asked the speeding train to stop for a moment so that he could enjoy the beauty. It is because of the beauty that arrests him much".[15]

चिल्का झील

चिलिका झील (Chilika Lake), जिसे चिल्का झील (Chilka Lake) भी कहा जाता है, भारत के ओड़िशा राज्य के पुरी, खोर्धा और गंजम ज़िलों में स्थित एक अर्ध-खारे जल की अनूपझील (लगून) है। इसमें कई धाराओं से जल आता है और पूर्व में बंगाल की खाड़ी में बहता है। इसका क्षेत्रफल 1,100 वर्ग किमी से अधिक है और यह भारत की सबसे बड़ी तटीय अनूपझील और विश्व की दूसरी सबसे बड़ी अर्धखारी अनूपझील है।[16][17]

चिल्का भारत की सबसे बड़ी तटीय झील है जो उड़ीसा में स्थित है यहां खारे पानी की एक लैगून झील है| चिल्का झील की लंबाई 65 km चौड़ाई 9 से 20 km और गहराई लगभग 2 मी है| इसे दया नदी और भार्गवी नदी से जल प्राप्त होता है| यहां पर चिलिका झील 70 किलोमीटर लम्बी तथा 30 किलोमीटर चौड़ी है। यह समुद्र का ही एक भाग है जो महानदी द्वारा लायी गई मिट्टी के जमा हो जाने से समुद्र से अलग होकर एक छीछली झील के रूप में हो गया है। दिसम्बर से जून तक इस झील का जल खारा रहता है किन्तु वर्षा ऋतु में इसका जल मीठा हो जाता है। इसकी औसत गहराई 3 मीटर है। इस झील के पारिस्थितिक तंत्र में बेहद जैव विविधताएँ हैं। यह एक विशाल मछली पकड़ने की जगह है। यह झील 132 गाँवों में रह रहे 150,000 मछुआरों को आजीविका का साधन उपलब्ध कराती है।[18]

इस खाड़ी में लगभग 160 प्रजातियों के पछी पाए जाते हैं। कैस्पियन सागर, बैकाल झील, अरल सागर और रूस, मंगोलिया, लद्दाख, मध्य एशिया आदि विभिन्न दूर दराज़ के क्षेत्रों से यहाँ पछी उड़ कर आते हैं। ये पछी विशाल दूरियाँ तय करते हैं। प्रवासी पछी तो लगभग 12000 किमी से भी ज्यादा की दूरियाँ तय करके चिल्का झील पंहुचते हैं।

1981 में, चिल्का झील को रामसर घोषणापत्र के मुताबिक अंतरराष्ट्रीय महत्व की आर्द्रभूमि के रूप में चुना गया। यह इस मह्त्व वाली पहली पहली भारतीय झील थी।

इतिहास: भूवैज्ञानिक साक्ष्य इंगित करता है कि चिल्का झील अत्यंतनूतन युग (18 लाख साल से पूर्व 10,000 साल तक) के बाद के चरणों के दौरान बंगाल की खाड़ी का हिस्सा था। चिल्का झील के ठीक उत्तर में खुर्दा जिले के गोलाबाई सासन गांव (20°1′7″N 85°32′54″E) में खुदाई भारतीय पुरातत्व सर्वेक्षण विभाग द्वारा आयोजित की गई।[19] गोलाबाई गांव तीन चरणों में चिल्का क्षेत्र संस्कृति के एक दृश्य का सबूत प्रदान करता है: नवपाषाण युग (नियोलिथिक) (c. 1600 ईसा पूर्व), ताम्रपाषाण युग (c. 1400 ईसा पूर्व से c. 900 ईसा पूर्व) और लौह युग (c. 900 ईसा पूर्व से c. 800 ईसा पूर्व।[20]

काम्यकसर

काम्यकसर (AS, p.171) महाभारत, सभापर्व (52,20) में उल्लिखित सरोवर जो शायद उड़ीसा की चिलका झील है-'शैलभान् नित्य भत्तान्श्चाप्याभित: काम्यकं सर:'. इसमें इस प्रदेश के हाथियों का वर्णन है.[21]

Visit by Xuanzang in 639 AD

Alexander Cunningham[22] writes that From the capital of Odra the pilgrim Xuanzang proceeded to the south-west for 1200 li, or 200 miles, to Kong-yu-to[23] This name has not been identified; but M. Vivien de Saint-Martin has, I think, indicated its true position in the neighbourhood of the Chilka lake. The capital was situated near a bay, or "junction of two seas," which can only be intended for the great Chilka lake and the ocean, as there is no other great sheet of water along this surf-beaten coast. Ganjam itself must therefore be the old capital. But as Ganjam is only 130 miles from Jajipur in a direct line measured on the map, or about 150 miles by road, I conclude that the pilgrim must have visited the hills of Udayagiri and Khandagiri and the town of Charitrapura, or Puri, on his way to Ganjam.

Flora and fauna

The open air and scenic natural flora and fauna of Krushnaprasad are an attraction for tourists and visitors. The lake is an important habitat and breeding ground for both resident and migratory and aquatic birds, most notably flamingoes. Migratory birds arrive in October from as far away as Siberia, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and the Himalaya, and generally stay until March. Part of the lake is protected by the Chilka Lake Bird Sanctuary, which harbors over 150 migratory and resident species of birds. The Nalaban Island within the lagoon is classified as a Bird Sanctuary under the wildlife protection act. The lake is also home to a diverse range of aquatic life, including 225 species of fish and the Irrawaddy Dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris). The rare limbless lizard Barkudia insularis is endemic to one of the lake's small islands.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Swami, V.N. (2020). D.C.C. Bank Clerk Grade Examination (in Marathi). Latur , India: Vidyabharti Publication. p. 171.
  2. ↑ Forest and Environment Department. "Chilika". Wildlife Conservation in Orissa. Govt of Orissa. Archived from the original on 1 July 2013
  3. ↑ Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Chilika Lake". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
  4. ↑ Chilika Development Authority (2008). "Fish Yield Status". Archived from the original on 30 June 2008.
  5. ↑ The Ramsar Convention (26 November 2008). "The Montreux Record". Archived from the original on 1 August 2008.
  6. ↑ IANS. 2010. Will growing seagrass beds bring back rare sea cows to Chilika?. The Thaindian News.
  7. ↑ Sinha, B.K. (2000). "13. B.K. Sinha, Golabai". In Kishor K. Basa; Pradeep Mohanty (eds.). A Protohistoric Site on the Coast of Odisha. 1 (in: Archaeology of Odisha ed.). Delhi: Pratibha Prakashan. pp. 322–355. ISBN 978-81-7702-011-3.
  8. ↑ Patra, Sushanta Ku.; Dr. Benudhar Patra (1992–1993). "ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE MARITIME HISTORY OF ANCIENT ORISSA" (PDF). OHRJ. Bhubaneswar: Govt. of Orissa. XLVII (2): 107–118.
  9. ↑ "History of Chilika". Chilika Lake Development Authority, Odisha. Archived from the original on 7 December 2008.
  10. ↑ "History of Chilika". Chilika Lake Development Authority, Odisha. Archived from the original on 7 December 2008.
  11. ↑ Mohanty, Prof. Prafulla Kumar; Dr. Sanjaya Narayan Otta (June 2008). "Dolphins of Chilika" (PDF). Orissa Review. Govt. of Orissa: 21–26.
  12. ↑ "New clues to historic naval war in Chilika". Nature India Journal Published online 3 June 2008, Subhra Priyadarshini.
  13. ↑ "History of Chilika". Chilika Lake Development Authority, Odisha. Archived from the original on 7 December 2008.
  14. ↑ "History of Chilika". Chilika Lake Development Authority, Odisha. Archived from the original on 7 December 2008.
  15. ↑ Iwasaki, Shimpei (14 December 1998). "Sustainable Regional DevelopmentIn the Catchment of Chilika Lagoon, Orissa State, India" (PDF).
  16. ↑ Orissa reference: glimpses of Orissa," Sambit Prakash Dash, TechnoCAD Systems, 2001
  17. ↑ "The Orissa Gazette," Orissa (India), 1964
  18. ↑ Chilika Development Authority (2008). "Fish Yield Status"
  19. ↑ Sinha, B.K. (2000). "13. B.K. Sinha, Golabai :". प्रकाशित Kishor K. Basa and Pradeep Mohanty (संपा॰). A Protohistoric Site on the Coast of Odisha. vol. I (in: Archaeology of Odisha संस्करण). Delhi: Pratibha Prakashan. p. 322–355. ISBN 81-7702-011-0.
  20. ↑ Patra, Sushanta Ku.; Dr. Benudhar Patra (1992-93,). "ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE MARITIME HISTORY OF ANCIENT ORISSA" (PDF). OHRJ. Bhubaneswar: Govt. of Orissa. XLVII, (2): 107–118
  21. ↑ Aitihasik Sthanavali by Vijayendra Kumar Mathur, p.171
  22. ↑ The Ancient Geography of India: I. The Buddhist Period, Including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang. By Sir Alexander Cunningham, p.513-515
  23. ↑ Julien's ' Hiouen Thsang,' iii. 91. See Map No. I.

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