Chilika Poem by Bharati Nayak

Footnotes [Maa--In Odia language it is an address for a Mother Chilika-It is the largest water lagoon of India and the largest brackish water lagoon of the world. Kalijai-Kalijai is a temple for Goddess Kalijai situated on a hill top inside Chilika lake. A legend says that Kalijai 's father was going on a boat through Chilika with his newly married daughter to leave her in her father-in-law's house.In the middle of water, a storm struck and the boat capsized.When the storm subsided, the girl had disappeared. Heartbroken father cried and cried and wondered what answer he would give to the girl's mother and the people waiting in her in-law's house.Legend says the newly wed girl Kalijai turned into a Devi(Goddess) and stays in the hilltop inside Chilika.She protects people from storm or danger.It is customary that all visitors visiting Chilika lake also visit Kalijai temple and offer prayers. Parikuda and Maluda are two islands lying inside Chilika. Lord Jagannath-A Hindu God Kalapahada was a converted Muslim who was attacking Hindu temples for vengeance and plunder..During such an attack on Lord Jagannath's temple in Puri, King Ramachandradev took the idols away secretly and hid them inside a place in Chilika lake.]