Chilika/Bhubaneswar: The Department of Tourism, in collaboration with the Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department, Government of Odisha, is organising the 6th National Chilika Bird Festival at Chilika Lake, reaffirming the State’s commitment to conservation-led tourism, sustainability, and community participation. The festival will highlight Chilika’s outstanding ecological significance while fostering meaningful engagement between biodiversity conservation, local livelihoods, education, and responsible tourism practices. The festival offers visitors a unique opportunity to participate in guided birdwatching experiences at Mangalajodi, internationally recognised for its successful community-managed birding model, and at Nalbana Bird Sanctuary. This enables visitors to witness large congregations of migratory birds within a protected wetland landscape.
Beyond birdwatching, the festival offers a holistic and immersive experience that reflects the living culture of the Chilika region. Visitors can engage with local crafts, savour authentic regional cuisine prepared by community groups, and participate in interactive sessions led by ornithologists, conservation practitioners, and wildlife photographers. These engagements are designed to enhance awareness of wetland ecology, migratory bird behaviour, and the principles of responsible nature-based tourism.
The festival will be formally inaugurated by Smt. Pravati Parida, Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister, and Shri Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia, Hon’ble Minister for Forest, Environment and Climate Change, Government of Odisha, at Lok Bhavan, Bhubaneswar.
Attendees will have the opportunity to witness the Chilika Boat Race near Panthanivas, Barkul, with participation from local fisherfolk community, and to experience regulated water sports activities. Together, these elements add a vibrant experiential dimension while promoting the sustainable and responsible use of the lagoon’s resources and celebrating traditional livelihoods linked to the lagoon. Further enriching the festival’s cultural and community-led dimensions, the Chilika Boat Race at Barkul will be inaugurated by Shri Prithiviraj Harichandan, Hon’ble Minister, Law Department. The event will be contested by members of the local fisherfolk community, celebrating traditional livelihoods and the enduring relationship between Chilika and its people.
A strong emphasis on education and outreach forms a key component of the festival programme. Special interactive sessions will be organised for students and teachers from nearby schools, introducing young learners to birdlife, wetland ecosystems, and conservation values through direct engagement with experts and practitioners.
At its core, the National Chilika Bird Festival is a celebration of community-led conservation. Local communities play a pivotal role as birding guides, hosts, artisans, and cultural ambassadors, demonstrating how conservation, livelihoods, and tourism can function in a mutually reinforcing manner. Through this flagship initiative, the Government of Odisha continues to position Chilika as a national and international model for wetland conservation, inclusive development, and sustainable, community-driven tourism.
