MYRIAD COLOURS OF LIFE

            A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:                       Its loveliness increases; it will never              Pass into nothingness; but still  will keep                A bower quiet for us, and a sleep               Full of sweet dreams, and health,                  and quiet breathing.                                                                                                                             ...

A s a child in school, I read about  Chilika as a brackish water lagoon. Back then I had no idea what it would be, the little information I had about Chilika remain treasured with me as I grew up. Growing up I got the opportunity to visit Chilika when I went to Odisha-India's Best Kept Secret, for my higher education. Being in Odisha gave me immense opportunity to know Chilika better. My institute a constituent unit of NCERT, New Delhi took up many interventions program to improve the educational opportunities of the Chilika Development Block. Often we would get to hear that our teachers from the Regional Institute of Education had to rush to Chilika to see whether the programs as planned by NCERT are being carried out well. While in Odisha during the first year of my stay I heard day scholars -my batchmates discuss the beauty of Chilika-the home to many migratory birds-a rare sight for visitors more so during the winter season.               ...