Orissa Review * January - 2009

Chilika and Legend of

Goddess Kalijai
Ramesh Nanda

feet of the mother goddess Kalijai (Kali). During

the Mohammedan aggression Lord Jagannath was
shifted to the lap of Chilika for safety and security.
That is why Chilika is a holy shrine. Third, the
historical Kanchi invasion during the rule of Sri
Purusottam Dev was made through this lake and
the legend now stands as the mute witness 'Manik
Patna' and 'Dahikhia'. This is the living history of
Orissa's victory over Kanchi. The Chilika was
hed the lotus feet of Sri Jagannath and Balabhadra
in the guise of chief generals of the Orissa army.
For this Chilika itself is a holy place.

The Chilika lake is the largest brakish water lagoon

in the continent. The panoramic view of the Chilika
and the landscape makes the spectator spellbound. The scenic splendor and brazen sky
makes a man poet. The sunset is quite worth
enjoying with the mountains and the sanguine
bloodstained sky. The blue watered Chilika is a
bounty of nature. The poet Radhanath has written
a poetry on it "The Chilika".
Its Origin
As to the origin of this largest brakish water
lagoon, it is an extension of Mahanadi Delta.
('Fauna of Chilika' - Zoological survey of India 1995). The other view suggests that the heaps of
sands gathered by the Tidal waves framed it to a
lagoon. The research scholars and the scientists
suggest this to be the origin of Chilika. In summer,
Chilika is at about 905 square kilometres in area
and in rainy season, it is almost 1165 sq.kms.
The salinity in summer varies from 1 to 27% and
in monsoon it varies from .5 to 5%. Many rivers
like the Salia and the Kushbadu meet Chilika. The
mouth of Chilika merges with the Bay of Bengal.
The confluence is the mouth where the Chilika
merges with the sea.

Nalaban (Birds' Sanctuary)

Nalaban is known as the shrine of birds.
Birds from remote places like Siberia, Canada,
America and Australia come in flocks to the
Chilika for food and shelter in winter. Govt. has
declared this area in Chilika as Birds' Sanctuary.
Birds in lakhs come to Chilika during the beginning
of October. Almost 221 varieties of birds are seen
in winter. It is a natural habitat for the birds.
A new mouth has been opened recently
by the Government of Orissa. The present survey
shows that the salinity is increasing day by day. It
may stake the whole marine world of the lake.
The life of the fish and fauna may be jeopardised
in the change of the living condition. The pollution,
the drainage and the constant netting alongwith

The Chilika is a holy place of pilgrimage

(Tirtha). The reason is obvious. The sacred rivers
run and meet Chilika. Second, it was by the lotus
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Orissa Review * January - 2009

the power driven boats have become a threat to

the animal world of the Chilika who are to be
perished in the new living conditions.

the king about the crane killing an eagle, the king

was fascinated to shift his capital to this place and
the capital was, named after 'Krishnaprasad'. It
was during the period of Bhagirathi Mansingh who
erected the royal palace in the year 1798. The
king also donated a village for Brahmins (sasan)
which is known as Bhagirathipur Sasan.

Irrawardy Dolphins - Now, the irrawardy

Dolphins are the centre of attraction to the tourists.
This particular variety of Dolphins are seen in the
Chilika. Chilika is their natural habitat.

Within the Chilika lake, the island is called

Parikud. Parikud consists of 96 Mouzas. It is a
sum total of about 120 revenue villages and some
hamlets. Parikud is confined to the block area
Krishna Prasad Panchayat Samiti. The entire land
mass runs some 50 kilometres from Samantraypur
to Jahaikuda and Mahinsa Brahmpur. It is
sorrounded by Chilika and the sea at the other.
Parikud is a vast landmass with fertile cultivable
lands.

In the year 1803, British General Harcourt

was marching from Madras. In Madras we
witness the North Harcourt and the South
Harcourt district. The Army General Harcourt
with his large troop started from Madras towards
Khurdha. As there was no communication to
Khurdha, he marched on the seashore. They did
not know the way to Khurdha. The people of
that time were patriots. They were not prepared
to show them the way to Khurdha for their illintention. One person from Malud, Fateh
Mohammad who was in charge of the ferry,
agreed to show them the way with some
conditions. Fateh was in charge of the ferry. It
was near Kandakhai where Chilika was very much
dangerous General Harcourt agreed with Fateh
who made the condition and Fateh showed the
way to Puri. In turn he was rewarded with a vast
stretch of land from Malud to Sunamuhin. This is
known as the 'Namak Haram Jagir'. It is a sort of
Jagir or gift in token of love for playing treachery
with the mother soil. This Namak Haram Jagir
was awarded by the British Government to Fateh
Mohammad of Malud.

Beforehand this area was under the king

of Bankad (now Banpur). The royal heritage
started in Parikud from 1774. The defeated Raja
of Bankad Sri Harisevak Mansingh came to
Parikud and established his empire at Parikud,
Gurubai. The capital was known as Nrusinghgarh
at Gurubai. After that Raja Bhagirathi Mansingh
shifted his capital to Krishnaprasad. There is a
legend suggesting that a milkman who informed

The area of Parikud and Malud was very

much under-developed. But with the advent of
the new time a road has been constructed from
Humma to Puri which is a very short route to Puri.
Now in Parikudgarh at least 5 telephone towers
are installed. Before the Government banned the
prawn culture, people of Parikud at least earned
something handsome for their livelihood. For
violence and unnecessary law and order situation,

The Pollution and Hazards

The ecological condition is fast changing
and worsening day by day for prawn culture in
the heart of the Chilika. Though the Government
of Orissa has banned prawn culture, the ecological
base and the living world of fauna and flora have
been devanged. Many species in the water space
are on the verge of extinction as the recent survey
has pointed out. However, not with despondency,
but with robust optimism the mission to save
Chilika is never bleak. the past which is ebbing
away should be buried for a sanguine future.
The Island Called Parikud

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Orissa Review * January - 2009

poet but there is no supporting fact or a legend

corroborating the whole state of affair. It is only
the creative imagination of the writer. A girl,
without fulfilment of her dreams, desire and
ambition can never be a deity or a Goddess. It
can either be termed as a spirit or a spectre. A
girl of Banpur coming to marry at Parikudgarh, if
at all is true, we would have been able to trace
the exact nativity of the both, the bride and the
bride-groom. Hence it is a fiction. The
metamorphosis of Jai to Kalijai is that is why not
a tenable proposition. But the poetry is a unique
work of art. "The History of Parikud" (1930) by
Radha Charan Panda states that Sri Harisevak
Mansingh, the king of Bankad (Banpur) came to
Parikud in the year 1779 after being defeated by
the Raja of Khurdha. His son Sri Bhagirathi
Mansingh was attacked by the king of Khurdha.
The king of Parikud surrendered in the lotus feet
of the mother Kali. Dr. Panda has stated that this
temple was erected by Sri Jagannath Mansingh
of the then king of Bankad in the year 1717. The
State of Parikud is also a part of Bankadgarh.

the Government of Orissa banned the prawn

culture.
The population of Parikud is now at about
1,20,000. The main occupation of this place is
farming and fishing. The fishermen community live
on fishing in Chilika and others are farmers. For
catching prawn and cultivating it, the controversy
has started ending in firing. However the
Government of Orissa has banned this and peace
is prevailing. The Mother Goddess Kalijai and
Chilika is under the Tehsil of Parikud (Krishna
Prasad Tehsil).
Due to the communication link and the
spread of education Parikud has advanced at least
and no more a place for punishment.
The Kalijai
The Kalijai, the goddess on the mountain
sorrounded by the vast stretch of blue watered
Chilika lagoon is a scenic beauty and a holy shrine.
People from time immemorial are
worshipping the deity. The faith in general is that
she saves the life of the crew on the deck. She is
the centre of all hope, assistance and aspiration
of the crew on the vast strtch of water where life
is helpless. She is the symbol of symphony of life.
This maritime expedition is only possible by the
grace of the deity.

During that period, a large number of

Flamingos (a kind of bird 4'6" in height) alighted
in the Chilika and marched forward. The army of
Khurdha presumed it to be a vast army deployed
in the Chilika and fled away. The people opined
that Kali made the king victorious (Jayi). So She
was named Kalijai.

The Mother Goddess, the Kalijai is the

centre of attraction. People in lakhs come to see
the holy place of 29 acres of mountain within the
Chilika lake. It is a unique spot in the state for
tourism. Mother Goddess Kalijai is Kali, the
so urce and the first 'Mahavidya' of
"Dasmahavidyas". According to a poem by Pandit
Godavarish Mishra, Jai - a girl was coming to
marry in Parikud. The boat was capsized in the
rough stormy water. She met her tragic death and
became the deity Kalijai. It is the imagination of a

Makarmela is celebrated with great pomp

in the holy shrine of the Kalijai. This is the only
popular festivity here. Lakhs of devotees flock
here for celebrating Makar Sankranti. The Raja
of Parikud worships the Mother Goddess as his
saviour. Let the Mother Goddess Kalijai bless
us.
Ramesh Nanda lives at 403LB, Bhimatan gi,
Bhubaneswar-2
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