Bhubaneswar: Reaffirming the state’s commitment to conservation-led tourism, sustainability, and community participation, Tourism department, in collaboration with Forest, Environment and Climate Change (FE&CC) department, is all set to host the 6th edition of National Chilika Bird Festival from January 6 to 8. 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 will offer 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, a Ramsar site. The unique opportunity enables visitors to witness large congregations of migratory birds within a protected wetland scape. Beyond birdwatching, the festival pledge to offer a holistic and immersive experience that reflects the living culture of the Chilika lagoon.
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 Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida and FE&CC Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia at Lok Bhavan here. Attendees will have the opportunity to witness the Chilika Boat Race near Barkul Panthanivas and to participate in regulated water sports activities. Together, the offerings will add a vibrant experiential dimension, while promoting sustainable and responsible use of the lagoon’s resources and celebrating traditional livelihoods linked to the lagoon.
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Further enriching the festival’s cultural and community-led dimensions, the Chilika Boat Race at Barkul will be inaugurated by Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan. 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 bird festival will be 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 state government continues to position Chilika as a national and international model for wetland conservation, inclusive development, and sustainable, community-driven tourism.
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