Dhamara is a joint stream in

Odisha Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of ...

that is formed by the confluence of the

Brahmani Brahmani (Sanskrit: ब्रह्माणी, IAST: Brahmāṇī) or Brahmi (Sanskrit: ब्राह्मी, IAST: Brāhmī), is one of the seven Hindu mother goddesses known as Sapta Matrikas. She is a form of Saraswati and is considered ...

and Baitarani rivers south of the town of

Chandabali Chandabali (or Chandbali) is an old town in the Bhadrak district of Odisha on the bank of the River Baitarani. History Before the 19th century AD, Chandabali was a small fishing village, and a natural river port. In 1866, trading began from this ...

. It lies in the

Bhadrak district Bhadrak is a district of Odisha state in eastern India. Bhadrak city is the headquarters and the largest city of the district. Origin of name The district is named after goddess Bhadrakali whose temple is situated in Agarpada which is 8 ...

and empties into the

Bay of Bengal The Bay of Bengal is the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean, bounded on the west and northwest by India, on the north by Bangladesh, and on the east by Myanmar and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India. Its southern limit is a line between ...

. To the north of its mouth is the

Dhamra Port The Dhamra Port is a port in Bhadrak district, Odisha, India, on the shore of the Bay of Bengal about seven kilometres from the old port of Dhamra. The agreement to develop the port was signed in April 1998. The Dhamra Port Company Limited (DP ...

and near the mouth is the Gahiramatha sanctuary, a nesting site for

olive ridley sea turtle The olive ridley sea turtle (''Lepidochelys olivacea''), also known commonly as the Pacific ridley sea turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Cheloniidae. The species is the second-smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in th ...

s. The river mouth is as wide as , and it enters the sea through two distinct river channels separated by an island formation called Kalibhanja. The two channels are further separated by another island formation in the sea called Kanika Sands which is approximately wide. The

Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary Bhitarkanika Mangroves is a mangrove wetland in Odisha, India, covering an area of in the Brahmani River and Baitarani River deltas. History The Bhitarkanika Mangroves were zamindari forests until 1952, when the government of Odisha abolish ...

, famous for its

estuarine crocodile The saltwater crocodile (''Crocodylus porosus'') is a crocodilian native to saltwater habitats and brackish wetlands from India's east coast across Southeast Asia and the Sundaic region to northern Australia and Micronesia. It has been liste ...

s lie on the Dhamra estuary. Wheeler Island, a

DRDO The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) (IAST: ''Raksā Anūsandhān Evam Vikās Sangaṭhan'') is the premier agency under the Department of Defence Research and Development in Ministry of Defence of the Government of India, ...

missile launch centre is located off the mouth of the Dhamra in the

References

{{coord, 20, 47, N, 86, 58, E, display=title, region:IN_type:river_source:GNS-enwiki Rivers of Odisha Rivers of India