Rambha | The Best Travel Destination Beside Chilika Lake in Odisha

Rambha is a travel destination beside Chilika Lake, the largest brackish water lagoon in the world. As the name is identical to the Hindu mythology character who used to break the meditation of the saints by challenging their penance against the temptation of her beauty and dancing skill, the place also tests the curiosity of a traveller with its unspoiled beauty and unique ecosystem.

About Rambha – the destination

Rambha is a small town in the Ganjam district in Odisha. It is situated beside the southern end of Chilika Lake which spreads over 1100 square kilometre area stretching across the length of three districts of Puri, Khurdah and Ganjam and eventually joins the Bay of Bengal through a narrow mouth, forming an enormous lagoon of brackish water. Chilika Lake is the most considerable winter ground of migratory birds in Indian sub-continent and has a vast ecosystem with extensive fishery resources.

Once used to be a small village of fishermen who depends on Chilika Lake for their living, Rambha now witnesses many tourists every year, which boasts up the local economy and helps it grow into a small town.

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Places to see

Breakfast Island

(3 km from Rambha Bay)

This is a bright yellow coloured structure in the middle of the lake approximately 3 kilometres away from Rambha boat jetty. It was built as a lighthouse by Mr Snodgrass, the then collector of Ganjam District of the East India Company, used by Britishers to eat their breakfast and drink tea. Since then, it is known as Breakfast Island. There are a hut shaped structure and a conical pillar alongside surrounded by water. You can get down there for an adventure, but we refrained ourselves from doing that.

Ghantashila Island

(2 km from Rambha Bay)

This is the next island where the boat will take you. The island is covered with large rocks, and beneath one huge stone, there is a narrow space which local people worship as a cave of Lord Shiva.

Bird’s Island

(5 km from Rambha Bay)

Bird’s Island is a small island which is basically the top of a hill, part of Eastern Ghats, submerged in the lake water, covered with rocks and there is a large statue of dinosaur made by tourism department which helps to recognise this island from far away. One can trek on the rocks to the top of the island and enjoy a panoramic view of the Lake and surrounding area.

Kalijaai Temple

(24 km from Rambha)

Kalijaai Temple is located on Kalijaai Island on Chilika Lake near Barkul. It is a temple where Goddess Kali is worshipped. There is a legend associated with this temple. A local girl named “Jaai” who was travelling in a boat with her father from her in-laws’ house to her father’s house, died near this island when their boat drowned due to storm. Since then, the local people believe that she is protecting everyone who passes by this island, like a goddess. And that’s how her name became a part of this island and the temple. Every year, during Makar Sankranti, a large fair is held on this island.

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Narayani Temple

(27 km from Rambha)

This is another temple near Barkul that attracts many visitors every year. The Goddess here is Devi Narayani (a form of Devi Durga) with six hands. The surrounding nature with perennial springs, mango trees and a small waterfall make it a nice place to spend an hour or two while visiting Rambha.

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Nirmaljhara

(14 km from Rambha)

Nirmaljhara has a 400-year-old temple. The temple was built by the king Aparajita Mardaraja. Lord Vishnu is worshipped here. The Dasavatara of Vishnu is engraved on the temple wall, reflecting the artisans’ rich craftsmanship from that period, although the artworks need to be preserved with more care.

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Rushikulya beach

(15 km from Rambha)

Rushikulya beach is famous as Olive Ridley Turtle’s nesting site. Every year, this place is flooded with those turtles for a few weeks when they come in a million to lay eggs here. The location is declared a protected area, and you need special permission to visit there. The beach is half an hour drive from Rambha.

Things to do

Boating in Chilika Lake

You can enjoy boating in Chilika Lake while visiting the small islands like Breakfast Island, Bird’s Island and Ghantashila Island. There are a few more islands like Honeymoon Island (8 km from Rambha Bay) and Sankuda Island (7 km from Rambha Bay), which can also be visited. Honeymoon Island was a favourite place of Kalikote kings, and they had a bungalow here which is in ruins now. Sankuda Island is an eco-tourism spot.

Bird watching

Nalban Island that spreads over an area of 15 square kilometres is a paradise for bird-watchers. It was declared as bird sanctuary back in 1973. The whole island gets flooded in monsoon and again emerges in winter when thousands of migratory birds come here every year.

Other nearby places

• Barkul beside Chilika Lake (26 km from Rambha)
• Gopalpur-on-sea (44 km from Rambha)
• Taratarini temple (35 km from Rambha)
• Manglajodi (66 km from Rambha)

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How to reach Rambha

Road

Rambha is situated beside NH5 (National Highway 5) that connects Bhubaneswar with Chennai. The distance between Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha, and Rambha is 120 kilometres. And the popular beach town of Puri is 50 kilometres away from Rambha.

Rail

The nearest station is Balugaon which is 34 kilometres away from Rambha. But all superfast trains do not stop at Balugaon. In that case, you can book your ticket till Brahmapur and hire a cab from there. From Brahmapur, Rambha is 47 kilometres away. Brahmapur is also the closest rail station of Gopalpur sea beach.

Air

Bhubaneswar is the nearest airport of Rambha. Being the capital of Odisha, Bhubaneswar is well connected by air with the rest of India.

Getting around

For boating in Cilika Lake, you can book a ride from OTDC Panthanivas in fixed rate determined by government tourism department or you can bargain with the local boatmen near the jetty.

For the rate of boat ride fixed by OTDC, you can check here.

For other places around Rambha, you can hire an auto-rickshaw or a cab from your hotel and cover all of them in a half-day sightseeing tour. If you want to visit Gopalpur, then it would be full-day sightseeing.

When to visit

The best time to visit Rambha is during winter (November – February) when the migratory birds gather here. During monsoon, the Lake looks more beautiful with lots of greeneries around. While in summer, the days are high in temperature and humidity.

Where to stay

OTDC Panthanivas (by Odisha Tourism Development Corporation) is the best place to stay in Rambha. It is situated right beside Chilika Lake. There are 5-6 rooms inside the two-storied building and a few cottages spread in the campus. The complex has gardens and large lawns. The road to the boating jetty starts on the backside of the hotel.

There is a restaurant on the ground floor of the main building beside which there is a counter where you can book your boating trip. During monsoon, you can relax at the balconies of 1st-floor rooms from where you can get a magnificent view of the Chilika Lake.

Address: Panthanivas, Rambha, Ganjam – 761026; Phone: 0674 – 2430764/2435618 (for booking); Email: otdc@panthanivas.com; Check-In Time: 12 noon; Check-Out Time: 12 noon; Google Map: OTDC Panthanivas, Rambha

What to eat

If you are staying at OTDC Panthanivas, then your breakfast will be included with room tariff. The foods in the restaurant are spicy and taste good. You can try their prawn curry and crab curry, both cooked perfectly to cater to the visitors’ tastebuds. The lunch and dinner are served in a meal system, and you can always add or modify it. Although they have many varieties but do not expect every single dish mentioned in the menu card will be available always as the supply of vegetables and fishes is seasonal.

Safety

The OTDC Panthanivas complex is well-lit and walled in all sides. The villagers are friendly and always happy to help. But there is nothing to do outside of your hotel when it is dark, and you better spend time with friends and family inside your hotel.

Medical Aid

Rambha has a small hospital which provides primary health facilities. The nearest tertiary healthcare facility is at Brahmapur which has a medical college and hospital (Emergency: 0680-2290851) whereas Bhubaneswar has many renowned corporate (Apollo Hospital: 0674-6661016 / 0674-6661066) and government hospitals (AIIMS Bhubaneswar: 0674 – 2476789/2476533).

Child Friendliness

There is lots of open spaces inside the Panthanivas where children can run freely. And of course, they are going to love the boat ride in the lake.

Tips to remember

• Rambha is a small town where facilities are limited and nature is in abundance. So, do not expect any luxurious experience here.
• Carry some insect repellants because the hotel rooms are frequently visited by small insects.
• The number of staffs in the OTDC Panthanivas restaurant are limited, so place your food orders early.
• Follow the safety instructions while riding a boat in Chilika Lake.
• If you want to visit Rushikulya beach in the nesting season, then start early from your hotel and reach the beach before sunrise. Remember you have to walk a kilometre after you get down from the car.

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