Poachers Turn Protectors:
Mangalajodi Eco Tourism

National Chilika Bird Festival

The 4^th National Chilika Bird Festival was hosted during January 27 to 29, 2024 at Bhubaneswar. We were in the city to attend a marriage reception, and a trip to Chilika was not in our schedule; but we decided to squeeze in a day for bird watching at Mangalajodi. I am glad we did that, for it was a unique experience.

Bird Watching at Mangalajodi

Mangalajodi, a fresh-water marshland of about 10 sq. kms on the north-eastern periphery of Chilika, is home to more than 3,00,000 resident and migratory birds in the peak season (Nov-Feb), and has been designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA).

The village gets its name from the twin temples dedicated to Mangala, the Presiding Deity of the village. Mangala, literally the Auspicious One, is also worshipped as Sarva Mangala (sarva mangala mangalye shive sarvartha sadhike ….) in Odisha.

Chilika

Chilika is the largest brackish-water lake in Asia, the 2^nd largest in the World, and the 1^st Wetland of International Importance of India notified as a Ramsar Site in 1981. With an area of 1165 sq. kms, the lagoon is a veritable paradise for more than 200 species of Resident, Migratory, and Seasonal Migratory birds and other fauna including several rare and endangered species. It is the largest site in India for wintering birds who fly in from Siberia, the Caspian Sea, Central Asia, and other regions. The recent census by the Chilika Development Authority reported a bird population of about 12 lakhs.

A Knowledgeable Guide

Look at the pair of birds to your left at 10’O Clock, said Babuli Behera, our guide a few minutes after we had boarded the country boat steered by the boatman with a long bamboo pole.

‘They are Brahminy Ducks, called Rudy Shelduck in English, Chakravaka in Odia and Sanskrit, and Chakor in Hindi. They pair for life but must separate at night owing to a sage’s curse. Surely, you know the story. While a sage was at his meditation, a lustful pair of lovers frolicked near him and disturbed his meditation. The sage cursed them to be reborn as birds, enjoy togetherness during the day, and suffer separation during the night. Transgression will result in instantaneous death. That is why all through the night are heard the piteous calls of the male and the female to convey their insufferable distress.’

Brahminy Duck (Tadorna Ferruginea) is a migratory bird, winters in India, breeds in southeastern Europe and central Asia.  

(Brahminy Duck at Mangalajodi, photo by Prasanna K Mahidala)

‘Look straight ahead and 1’O Clock to the right, at that bird with a neck that looks like a snake. It is the Darter or Snake Bird and called Khaparakhai in Odia. This bird can stay still in that posture for hours and will move only to pick up its choicest meal. Here are further details.’

He opened the Bird Watching Book (Birds of Chilika) at the relevant page. The zoological name of the bird is Anhinga anhinga.

(Snake Bird: Photo Credit- Mangalajodiecotourism)

Babuli, a fisherman in his forties is a school dropout, but very knowledgeable about the birds in Mangalajodi habitat. He helped us spot several resident and migratory birds and made brief mention of their habits.

(Photo Source: Abani Mishra, Office of PCCF, Wildlife, Odisha)

We had hired a boat for a 2-hour bird watching for INR 1200. The package consisted of Boat Rent, Guide, Binocular, and a Bird Watching Book. A camera could also be hired by paying a small rental, but I’m no ace photographer, managed with my smartphone, and got a few nice shots. Professional photographers come with very expensive cameras and zoom lenses, rent a roof-less boat, and spend long hours for the perfect shot.  

Mangalajodi Marshland

During November to February, several venues offer excellent opportunity to sight birds at Chilika. One may hire a motor boat for a 4-hour cruise to sight the critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris), drive to Nala Bana- an island with tall reeds, and further to Kalijai, the seat of Mother Goddess and the Presiding Deity of the Fishermen and the communities living near and far.

But at Mangalajodi, only small county boats each seating a maximum of four visitors are available for the bird watching. The marshland is criss-crossed with water channels with an average depth of 3 to 4 feet, stocking enough fish, frogs, weeds, and other edible items for the birds.

Poachers Turn Protectors

Chilika sustains the lives of about 20 lakh people living around it. It produces plentiful fish, crabs, and prawns which are exported to Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, and other places.

Fishermen of Mangalajodi, too, depend on Chilika for their livelihood. Till recently, they were also unapologetic bird poachers. They used hand-made traps and nets to catch the birds, eat some, and sell the rest. They had no idea that Chilika and the adjoining marshland that had sustained their ancestors since thousands of years had been declared a Ramsar Site.

Ramsar Site

Where is Ramsar, what is a Ramsar Site, and what happens when a site is notified as Ramsar Site, they had no idea. Ramsar is an Iranian town on the Caspian Sea where the Convention for Conservation of Internationally important Wetlands was signed on February 2, 1971 to commemorate which February 2 is celebrated as World Wetlands Day. As on January 2024, 2511 sites are listed by 160 countries who are signatories to the Convention. India has 80 sites of which the Sunderbans and Chilika are the largest in area.

When the Forest Department enforced the restrictions, people dependent on Chilika for their livelihoods, including the villagers of Mangalajodi resisted. How could the rights of birds annul the ancient rights of men to this habitat, they were genuinely perplexed. When criminal cases were lodged against several villagers, they became hostile to the forest authorities.

From Conflict to Collaboration

Forest department had been at work for several years for conserving this critically endangered and fragile wetland eco system, but with modest success. The breakthrough came when a compassionate and determined person motivated the local community.

Nand Kishore Bhujabal was a keen shooter in his younger days and took pride in his ability to bring down a flying bird.  ‘Never missed a shot,’ he mentioned in a TV interview.

‘But once I shot a female bird which came down with a clutch of twigs in its beak. The bird was readying a nest to lay eggs.’

Struck with remorse, NKB threw away his gun, and resolved never to shoot again.* With determination and patience, over the years he coaxed and cajoled twelve notorious poachers of Mangalajodi to abjure poaching. If you protect the birds, people will come to watch these wonderful creatures. By providing tourist services you will earn an income no less than from poaching. Visitors will enjoy the company of birds in their natural habitat, shoot photos, and the village economy will be sustained without damaging the habitat and killing the birds.

The poachers pledged to protect the birds. To seal their pledge, NKB took them to Kalijai temple where they took an oath before Mother Goddess. Except for one renegade, they have stood by their resolve since then.

During the last few years, the Mahavir Pakshi Surakshya Samiti has done excellent work. Unlettered fishermen have learned the zoological names of the birds in their habitat. They already knew the local names and the habits of these winged creatures.

The work distribution is managed by the Samiti. Those with better communication skills work as guides. The boatmen rowing the boat may speak little, but they know exactly where a particular species of birds is to be found.

The transition of the local communities from conflict to collaboration, adversary to stakeholder, and hostility to hospitality gives hope that participatory conservation and management of critically important and vulnerable eco systems is possible.

Chilika: A Cultural Heritage

Chilika is not only a geographical marvel, a bio-diversity hotspot, and a precious economic resource; it is a cultural heritage for the people of Odisha.

With the very mention of Chilika, there is a rush of memories, and I recall a few memorable lines from the iconic Odia poems we read in our school days – Radhanath Roy’s epical poem ‘Chilika’(1892):

Utkala Kamala-Vilasa Dirghika,

Marala-Malini Nilambu Chilika;

Chilika with its expansive blue waters, and garlanded with majestic white swans is the veritable residence of Goddess Lakshmi in Odisha.

Gopabandhu Das’s poem on the beauteous spectacle of the lake from a running train:

Raha raha kshane vashpiya shakata,

Dekhibi Chilika charu chitrapata

Pause a while, O steam-powered bullock-cart, for me to drink deep from the beauty of this majestic lake;

and Pandit Godavarish Mishra’s tragic song about Kalijai:

Bhala kari na-aa buhare nauri

Jhiaku maaduchi dara

Gade Gada loke chanhi basithibe  

Jhia jiba shashu ghara

The tragic tale of Jai, a newly-wed girl being ferried to her groom’s palace on an island in Chilika, who drowned when the boat capsized in a sudden squall. The deity on Kalijai mountain is revered by all, and the passing fishermen pay their regards to the Mother Goddess seeking her protection. Every Odia knows this lyrical but plaintive song.

Godwit Eco Resort

The Resort is named after Black-Tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa), a bird categorised in 2006 as ‘Near Threatened’ in IUCN Red List. 

The marine cousins of Black-Tailed Godwits, the Bar-tailed Godwits are "the world record holders for non-stop flight — they have been recorded travelling 12,000km from the Arctic Circle to New Zealand in eight days, flying at an average of more than 50km/h without sleeping, eating or resting!"

(https://www.worldmigratorybirdday.org/events/2022/fascinating-flight-bar-tailed-godwit) 

(Creative Commons photo by Andreas Trepte)

At the Resort, managed by the Samiti, we had a simple but delicious Odia lunch – rice, prawn curry, baigana bharta (roasted brinjal mashed and spiced), pariba santula (vegetable stew), and a crisp-fried chuna macha (tiny freshwater fish). If you love fish but fear the fishbones, ask for a plate of chuna macha, a fry or a besara (mustard paste curry). No worry about a fishbone getting stuck in your throat. Guaranteed.

Degradation and Rehabilitation

Chilika was placed in the Montreux record (amounting to a Red List!) in 1993 by Ramsar bureau due to adverse change in its ecological characters. Because of concerted effort by Chilika Development Authority (CDA), the Forest Dept, and the Govt of Odisha in collaboration with the stakeholder communities; Chilika is now out of the Montreux record!

Photo by Blogger

A photo by this amateur photographer:

Plan a Trip

If you are at Bhubaneswar in the coming weeks, take a trip to Mangalajodi and Chilika. You may like to stay for a night or two in the Eco Resort for which you can book online. I am confident you would enjoy the experience as much as we did.

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* Readers may recall that the killing of a krouncha (Saras Crane, or maybe, Curlew) male bird by a Nishada on the banks of Tamasa river provoked Adi Kavi Valmiki to compose the very first shloka of Ramayana which is as follows:

मां निषाद प्रतिष्ठां त्वमगमः शाश्वतीः समाः।

यत्क्रौंचमिथुनादेकम् अवधीः काममोहितम्॥

For killing the male while the kroucha couple was engaged in amorous embrace, O Nishada, you will suffer eternal unrest and disrepute.

References

1.   Chilika Development Authority: chilika.com

2.   Eco-Tourism Government of Odisha: ecotourodisha.com

3.   Mangalajodi Eco-Tourism: https://www.mangalajodiecotourism.com

4.   Ramsar: www.ramsar.org

5.   The Birds of Chilika by U.N. Dev, 1997

6.   https://www.worldmigratorybirdday.org/2017/species/black-tailed-godwit

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Postscript

• A dear friend is from a village not far from Mangalajodi, but confessed that she is yet to visit the Bird Sanctuary. She hopes to visit it during her next trip to Odisha.
• A classmate and Ms. Beautiful of my school at Burla relished reading this blog. Do you know, I played Kalijai in a dance-drama on that memorable song at our school function? I didn't. How very dumb of me!