CHILKA LAKE

lagoon in eastern Orissa state, eastern India, separated from the Bay of Bengal by a narrow spit. One of India's largest lakes, it is 40 miles (65 km) long, 5-13 miles (8-20 km) wide, and about 6 feet (2 m) deep. The Daya and Bhargavi rivers feed the lake except during the dry months from December to June, when saline ocean water enters through a small passage. Chilka was once a bay of the ocean until silted up by strong monsoon tides. Dotted with islands, it offers good hunting, boating, and fishing. There are fisheries and salt pans around its shores.