Chilika Lake

Chilika is a vast brackish lagoon on the Odisha coast, separated from the Bay of Bengal by a long sandy barrier. Rivers of the Mahanadi delta bring fresh water into its northern reaches, while an opening through the sand admits the sea. Monsoon waters change the lagoon’s size and salinity, creating a shifting landscape of islands, shallows and channels. Its waters shelter fish and Irrawaddy dolphins, and its mudflats and islands provide feeding grounds for many birds.