Serene Mangalajodi Bird Sanctuary, Odisha, India

Mangalajodi! the word itself has a melodious ring to it and sounds like an appropriate name for a place that is a birds’ paradise. And it was Mangalajodi that we decided to explore when we had a day to spare when in Bhubaneswar. We had already been to places like Konark and Puri many times so we were looking for offbeat places to visit in Odisha near Bhubaneswar and finally zeroed in on Mangalajodi Bird Sanctuary.

Mangalajodi Bird Sanctuary in Odisha

Mangalajodi bird sanctuary in Odisha is a bird’s paradise with over 1.5 lakh migratory birds arriving during winter. It is on the northern edge of Chilka.

On The Road From Bhubaneswar To Mangalajodi Bird Sanctuary

It was a hot April morning. The heat of Bhubaneswar literally roasts you during the summer months. Ideally we should have started early on our Mangalajodi tour, however, we had breakfast and by the time we left Bhubaneshwar, it was well past 10 AM. Our timing was wrong in every possible way.

We were visiting Mangalajodi in summer, not the best time to visit Mangalajodi, as it is in the winter months that most migratory birds come here from far away lands like Siberia. Also, it would have been ideal to visit Mangalajodi in the early morning before the sun went up and the heat became unavailable.

In spite of this, we were in high spirits and enjoyed the drive to Mangaljodi. To buoy our spirits we turned to the Airtel Thanks app on our phones to liven up the atmosphere with some latest Bollywood numbers. The drive was brisk and soon we took a deviation from the highway to enter a smaller road fringed by trees.

As the voice of Sonu Nigam rose to a crescendo, we drove through the Mangalajodi(Khurda) village towards our destination. Mangalajodi village is located on the edge of the famous Chilika lake towards its northern end.

Once we had passed the village we reached a road which was still being laid, so in essence, it was a mud road and on both sides, we could see the Mangalajodi wetlands. A flock of white birds took fight towards our left and our excitement grew. We will have a great time here! we thought. We soon reached a small counter in front of a jetty against which were lined a few blue coloured boats.

The Chilika lake itself is a success story of wildlife conservation in India. A board at the Mangalajodi bird watching site gives the details of Chilika Lake and its feathered inhabitants. The board informs that the Chilika lake spreads over a surface area of about 1000 Square Kilometers and is a wetland of international significance and is a Ramsar site.

What is a Ramsar site? Yes, that was the question that sprang to our minds too. It was in 1971 that a treaty was signed in the city of Ramsar in Iran. This is an international treaty for working towards conserving and sustainable use of wetlands. Wetlands have been identified worldwide which are designated as Ramsar sites. Chilika Lake is one of the Ramsar sites in India.

The board also informs that the Chilka lake was designated as a Ramsar site in 1981. It also mentions that the lake was added to Montreux Record in 1993.

Now, what is the Montreux Record? The Montreux Record is a register of sites from within the Ramsar sites which are facing challenging threats to their ecological character. These threats could be from human interference, pollution, technological advances, etc..

It is heartening to note that the same board that we have been referring to also informs that the Chilika Lake was removed from the Montreux Record threatened list in the year 2002.

The Chilika Lake, in general, is a haven for migratory birds during the winter months. It is estimated that more than a million birds arrive her to nest and roost during the winter months. Additionally, more than 228 species of birds call Chilika lake their home, and of these, about 138 species are wetland birds.

All About Mangaljodi Wetlands

Mangalajodi is an important wetland of Chilika Lake. Migratory birds arrive here during the winter months. It is estimated that more than 1,50,000 birds come here during the winter months from November to March.

Mangalajodi is indeed a paradise with birds of different colours, shapes, and sizes making it their winter home. Some of the birds that are found in the Mangalajodi Wetland are Ruddy Shelduck, Northern Shoveler, Gray Headed Swamphen, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Watercock, Pacific-Golden Plover, Pied Kingfisher, and many more.

A Fascinating Success Story – Poachers To Protectors at Mangalajodi bird sanctuary

The birds and natural beauty of Mangalajodi are bound to enchant the visitor. But what is equally interesting and heartening at the same time is the story of the villagers of Mangalajodi. The villagers used to hunt the birds that came to roost in the wetlands of Mangalajodi.

But the power of timely intervention and the philosophy of ecotourism combined with sustainable tourism ensured a complete turnaround. Today the hunters and poachers have become the protectors. They look after the wetlands and the avian visitors with pride. The local community drives the project with support from Mangalajodi Ecotourism.

Boating And Birding At Mangalajodi Wetland

To explore and experience the wetlands of Mangalajodi, the best option is to hire a boat and embark on a bird safari. The boat safari includes a boat with a boatsman as well as a guide, a set of binoculars, and a set of books for reference during the safari.

The boat safari lasts for 2 hours and each boat carries 4 persons. So if you want a boat all for yourself even though you are two,  you can hire the boat by paying the full fee.

We sat in the boat as it silently glided in the waterways that crisscrossed the wetlands. It was afternoon but the breeze that blew over the wetlands was cool. The chatter of birds slowly overpowered the sound of the oars as we cruised along the waters. Our guide gave us two dog-eared books that had obviously seen better days to go through. The books had pictures of different birds and he fondly referred to it as Mangalajodi bird list.

“Those are egrets”, said our guide as a flock of snow-white birds took to the skies in a flash of white.

As we surged ahead we spotted some buffaloes grazing on the banks and a group of small birds with multi-coloured bodies, black, white, grey, brown hopped around the edge of the water. “These are Red-wattled Lapwing”, said our knowledgable guide. We heard the sounds of these birds even before we saw them.

They seemed to be saying, “did he do it”, “did he do it”, in cacophonic unison. We learned that this sound is their alarm call when they see an animal or human movement in the vicinity.

It was the month of April and most of the migratory birds had already flown back home barring some of the stragglers. They too were spending their last days in their winter home and would soon take off to their homes.

As we glided noiselessly we espied a beautiful pair of birds taking off gracefully over the water. As we were riveted by the sight, another couple rose to the skies. These birds belonged to the species Ruddy Shelduck and were called Brahminy Duck in India. These birds pay a visit to Mangalajodi during the winter months. They come calling in the month of October and hang around till April.

We were lucky to have been able to spot these beautiful creatures before they flew back home to South-Eastern Europe or Central Asia. These birds have a beautiful orange-brown colour that shines like gold. When they take flight their white wing-coverts and black tail and flight wings, present a spectacular sight.

We were really enamoured with the Ruddy Shelduck and they were indeed the showstopper for us on our Mangalajodi boat safari. The birds had a romantic aura and why not? the male and female foster a life-long bond and are always together, they share the responsibility of rearing their offspring too.

Our guide who himself was a local had some interesting information about the birds and the village. He told us the story of the Mangalajodi Ghost. It was believed that a tree in the village was haunted and a ghost who lived in it scared anyone who went near it.

We loved our experience in the wetlands of Mangalajodi. Our timing was awfully off, but still, we enjoyed the overall experience. Our guide informed us that the birds were very less in number and the best time to visit Mangalajodi was between the months of October to February.

However, we did see quite a number of different birds and the boat ride itself was very enjoyable. The serenity of the place only punctuated by the sounds of the birds, the rustle of feathers, the lapping of water, and of course the sound of our own breathing.

Mangalajodi Ecotourism And Sustainable Tourism

Tourism has created different offshoots for sustainable employment of the locals. The guides, the boatmen, and the staff are all local villagers. There are homestays too which act as additional revenue generation avenue for the villagers. Mangalajodi is a beacon for others, an excellent example of the harnessing of the strengths of local communities.

How To  Get To Mangalajodi bird sanctuary

♠ Mangalajodi Chilika is located in the eastern Indian state of Bhubaneswar near the capital city, Bhubaneswar.

♠ Bhubaneswar to Mangalajodi distance is about 68 kilometres via the NH16 and the drive takes about an hour and a half.

♠ Bhubaneswar is well connected to major cities and towns of India by air, rail, and road.

♠ The nearest airport to Mangalajodi is the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar city.

♠ Mangalajodi to Puri distance is about 80 kilometres.

Mangaljodi  bird sanctuary Dos And Don’ts

♠ For your boat safari make sure you use the services of the licensed boats only

♠ Ensure that you are silent so as not to disturb the wildlife

♠ Do not use or dispose off any plastic in the wetlands and on the safari.

♠ Enjoy the beauty of nature and do not get close to the birds or eggs for pictures.

FAQ

🔸What is the Mangalajodi boat price for a bird safari?

🔹 Check the Mangalajodi Ecotourism site for the latest prices.

🔸What are Mangalajodi accommodation options, are there any Mangalajodi ecotourism camp facilities?

🔹 There are various accommodation options including homestays, dormitory, cottages, etc., at Mangaljodi, information about various packages is available on the Mangalajodi Ecotourism Orissa website. One can stay in any hotel in Bhubaneswar and make a day trip from there to Mangaljodi. In terms of Mangalajodi hotels, there are not many options though you will find Mangalajodi Eco Cottages.

🔸Is there a Mangalajodi contact number?

🔹 For updated contact details do check the Mangalajodi Ecotourism website.

Final Thoughts About Mangaljodi bird sanctuary

It was a magical experience in Mangalajodi bird sanctuary. Yes it was summer and the birds were less, we could only imagine how much more beautiful the place would be in winter when it would be full of migratory birds. Promising to ourselves that we would be back during the winter, we made our way to our car.

As we drove back, we suddenly realized that we were hungry and it was already late afternoon. We wanted something to eat badly. On the road we did not find any decent wayside restaurant, so we turned to our phones. Not to mention throughout the trip we weren’t expecting decent network on our phones but we were surprised by the good data speed and connectivity on Airtel 4G and navigation became seamless.

We accessed our google maps to locate a few vegetarian restaurants that were on the route to our next destination from Mangalajodi bird sanctuary. Later satiated with a nice warm lunch and our minds still filled with Mangaljodi images of birds swooping gracefully on the wetlands, we drove onwards to our next destination.

We hope you found our Mangalajodi travel blog informative and interesting. Do let us know your thoughts through our comments section.

We leave you with some lovely images of the birds of Mangaljodi. Watch our short Mangalajodi Video, We hope you have liked our Mangalajodi photos and our Mangalajodi blog.

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