The Godavari (
IAST
The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) is a transliteration scheme that allows the lossless romanisation of Indic scripts as employed by Sanskrit and related Indic languages. It is based on a scheme that emerged during ...
: ''Godāvarī''
">�od̪aːʋəɾiː is
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
's second longest river after the
Ganga
The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...
river and drains into the third largest basin in India, covering about 10% of India's total geographical area. Its source is in
Trimbakeshwar
Tryambakeshwar Shiva Temple (श्री त्र्यंबकेश्वर ज्योतिर्लिंग मंदिर) is an ancient Hindu temple in the town of Trimbak, in the Trimbakeshwar tehsil in the Nashik District of ...
,
Nashik
Nashik (, Marathi: aːʃik, also called as Nasik ) is a city in the northern region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Situated on the banks of river Godavari, Nashik is the third largest city in Maharashtra, after Mumbai and Pune. Nash ...
,
Maharashtra
Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the second-most populous state in India and the second-most populous country subdi ...
. It flows east for , draining the states of
Maharashtra
Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the second-most populous state in India and the second-most populous country subdi ...
(48.6%),
Telangana
Telangana (; , ) is a state in India situated on the south-central stretch of the Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the eleventh-largest state and the twelfth-most populated state in India with a geographical area of and 35 ...
(18.8%),
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
(4.5%),
Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh (, ) is a landlocked state in Central India. It is the ninth largest state by area, and with a population of roughly 30 million, the seventeenth most populous. It borders seven states – Uttar Pradesh to the north, Madhya Prad ...
(10.9%) and
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 ...
(5.7%). The river ultimately 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 bet ...
through an extensive network of tributaries. Measuring up to , it forms one of the largest
river basin
A drainage basin is an area of land where all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, ...
s in the
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a physiographical region in Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian Ocean from the Himalayas. Geopolitically, it includes the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, In ...
, with only the Ganga and
Indus
The Indus ( ) is a transboundary river of Asia and a trans-Himalayan river of South and Central Asia. The river rises in mountain springs northeast of Mount Kailash in Western Tibet, flows northwest through the disputed region of Kashmir, ...
rivers having a larger drainage basin. In terms of length, catchment area and discharge, the Godavari is the largest in peninsular India, and had been dubbed as the Dakshina Ganga (
Ganges
The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...
of the South).
The river has been revered in Hindu scriptures for many millennia and continues to harbour and nourish a rich cultural heritage. In the past few decades, the river has been barricaded by several
barrages and
dams, keeping a head of water (depth) which lowers evaporation. Its broad
river delta
A river delta is a landform shaped like a triangle, created by deposition of sediment that is carried by a river and enters slower-moving or stagnant water. This occurs where a river enters an ocean, sea, estuary, lake, reservoir, or (more rare ...
houses 729 persons/km
2 – nearly twice the Indian average population density and has a substantial risk of flooding, which in lower parts would be exacerbated if the global sea level were to rise.
Course
The Godavari originates in the
Western Ghats of central India near
Nashik
Nashik (, Marathi: aːʃik, also called as Nasik ) is a city in the northern region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Situated on the banks of river Godavari, Nashik is the third largest city in Maharashtra, after Mumbai and Pune. Nash ...
in
Maharashtra
Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the second-most populous state in India and the second-most populous country subdi ...
, from the
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea ( ar, اَلْبَحرْ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Bahr al-ˁArabī) is a region of the northern Indian Ocean bounded on the north by Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf of Oman, on the west by the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channe ...
. It flows for , first eastwards across the
Deccan Plateau
The large Deccan Plateau in southern India is located between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats, and is loosely defined as the peninsular region between these ranges that is south of the Narmada river. To the north, it is bounded by th ...
then turns southeast, entering the
West Godavari district and
East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, until it splits into two distributaries that widen into a large
river delta
A river delta is a landform shaped like a triangle, created by deposition of sediment that is carried by a river and enters slower-moving or stagnant water. This occurs where a river enters an ocean, sea, estuary, lake, reservoir, or (more rare ...
at
Dowleswaram Barrage
The Dowleswaram Barrage Or Dhavaleshwaram Barrage was an irrigation structure originally built in 1852 on the lower stretch of the Godavari River before it empties into the Bay of Bengal. It was rebuilt in 1970 when it was officially renamed as ...
in
Rajahmundry
Rajahmundry, officially known as Rajamahendravaram, is a city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh and District headquarters of East Godavari district. It is the sixth most populated city in the state. During British rule, the District of Ra ...
and then flows into the Bay of Bengal.
The Godavari River has a coverage area of , which is nearly one-tenth of the area of India and is equivalent to the area of the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...
and
Republic of Ireland
Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. ...
put together. The river basin is considered to be divided into 3 sections:
* Upper (source to the confluence with
Manjira
The taal, manjira (also spelled manjīrā or manjeera), jalra, karatala, kartal or gini is a pair of clash cymbals, originating in the Indian subcontinent, which make high-pitched percussion sounds. In its simplest form, it consists of a pai ...
),
* Middle (between confluence of Manjira and
Pranhita) and
* Lower (Pranhita confluence to mouth).
These put together account for 24.2% of the total basin area. The rivers annual average water inflows are nearly 110 billion cubic metres. Nearly 50% of the water availability is being harnessed. The water allocation from the river among the riparian states are governed by the
Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal. The river has highest flood flows in India and experienced recorded flood of 3.6 million
cusecs in the year 1986 and annual flood of 1.0 million cusecs is normal.
Within Maharashtra
In
Maharashtra
Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the second-most populous state in India and the second-most populous country subdi ...
state where it takes origin, the river has an extensive course, the upper basin (origin to its confluence with
Manjira
The taal, manjira (also spelled manjīrā or manjeera), jalra, karatala, kartal or gini is a pair of clash cymbals, originating in the Indian subcontinent, which make high-pitched percussion sounds. In its simplest form, it consists of a pai ...
) of which lies entirely within the state, cumulatively draining an area as large as – about half the area of Maharashtra. Within
Nashik district, the river assumes a north-easterly course until it flows into the
Gangapur Reservoir created by a dam of the same name. The reservoir along with the
Kashypi Dam provides
potable water
Drinking water is water that is used in drink or food preparation; potable water is water that is safe to be used as drinking water. The amount of drinking water required to maintain good health varies, and depends on physical activity level, ...
to Nashik, one of the largest cities located on its banks. The river as it emerges through the dam, some upstream from Nashik, flows on a rocky bed undulated by a series of chasms and rocky ledges, resulting in the formation of two significant waterfalls – the Gangapur and the Someshwar waterfalls. The latter, located at Someshwar is more popularly known as the Dudhsagar Waterfall. About east of Gangapur the river passes the town of
Nashik
Nashik (, Marathi: aːʃik, also called as Nasik ) is a city in the northern region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Situated on the banks of river Godavari, Nashik is the third largest city in Maharashtra, after Mumbai and Pune. Nash ...
where it collects its effluents in the form of the river Nasardi on its right bank.
About south of Nashik, the river bends sharply to the east, washing the base of a high cliff formerly the site of a Mughal fort, but which is now being eroded away by the action of floods. About below Nashik is the confluence of the Godavari and one of its tributaries, the
Darna. The stream occupies, for nine months in the year, a small space in a wide and gravelly bed, the greyish banks being high, topped with a deep layer of black soil. A few kilometres after its meeting with the Darna, the Godavari swerves to the north-east, before the
Banganga, from the north-west, meets it on the left. The course of the main stream then tends more decidedly south. At Nandur-Madhmeshwar, the
Kadva, a second large affluent, brings considerable increase to the waters of the Godavari. The river begins its southeasterly course characteristic of rivers of the
Deccan Plateau
The large Deccan Plateau in southern India is located between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats, and is loosely defined as the peninsular region between these ranges that is south of the Narmada river. To the north, it is bounded by th ...
. The river exits the
Niphad Taluka of
Nashik
Nashik (, Marathi: aːʃik, also called as Nasik ) is a city in the northern region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Situated on the banks of river Godavari, Nashik is the third largest city in Maharashtra, after Mumbai and Pune. Nash ...
and enters the
Kopargaon taluka,
Ahmednagar District. Within Ahmednagar District the river quickly completes its short course, flowing alongside the town of
Kopargaon
Kopargaon is a town and municipality located in the Ahmednagar district of the Indian state of Maharashtra.
Geography
Kopargaon is situated at . It has an average elevation of 593 meters (2,117 feet) and lies on the banks of the Godavari ...
and reaching
Puntamba. Beyond this, the river serves as a natural boundary between the following districts:
*
Ahmednagar
Ahmednagar (), is a city located in the Ahmednagar district in the state of Maharashtra, India, about 120 km northeast of Pune and 114 km from Aurangabad. Ahmednagar takes its name from Ahmad Nizam Shah I, who founded the town in 1 ...
and
Aurangabad: Along the boundary here, it receives its first major tributary the
Pravara River, draining the former district. The confluence is located at Pravarasangam. By virtue of a sub-tributary of Pravara – Mandohol, which originates in Pune District – the basin impinges the
Pune district
Pune district (Marathi pronunciation: uɳeː is the most populous district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The district's population was 9,429,408 in the 2011 census, making it the fourth most populous district amongst India's 640 district ...
. The river at Paithan has been impounded by the
Jayakwadi Dam forming the NathSagar Reservoir.
Kalsubai located in Godavari basin, is the highest peak in Maharashtra.
*
Beed
Beed (Marathi pronunciation: iːɖ is a city in Marathwada region of Maharashtra state in India. It is the administrative headquarters in Beed district.
History
Beed is a historical city of possibly medieval origin. Its early history is ob ...
and
Jalna
* Beed and
Parbhani: Located along here is its merger with
Sindphana, an important tributary which drains a considerably large area within Beed. The sub-tributary river
Bindusara forms a landmark at
Beed
Beed (Marathi pronunciation: iːɖ is a city in Marathwada region of Maharashtra state in India. It is the administrative headquarters in Beed district.
History
Beed is a historical city of possibly medieval origin. Its early history is ob ...
.
The river beyond, near the village Sonpeth, flows into
Parbhani. In Parbhani district, the river flows through
Gangakhed
Gangakhed is a city located on banks of Godavari River and a municipal council in Parbhani district in the state of Maharashtra, India. It is also known as Dakshin Kashi. It is also the second largest city In Parbhani District.
Demographic ...
taluka. As mentioned above, the Godavari is also called Dakshinganga so the city is called as Gangakhed (meaning a village on the bank of Ganga). As per Hindu rituals this place is considered quite important for after death peace to flow ashes into the river.
Its course is relatively non-significant except for receiving two smaller streams – Indrayani and Masuli – merging at its left and right banks, respectively. Within the last taluka of the district Parbhani,
Purna
:
Purna is a town with a municipal council in Parbhani district in the Indian state of Maharashtra.
Geography
Purna is located at . It has an average elevation of .
Purna is situated in the Maharashtra state of India.
Demographics
India cen ...
, the river drains a major tributary of the same name:
Purna
:
Purna is a town with a municipal council in Parbhani district in the Indian state of Maharashtra.
Geography
Purna is located at . It has an average elevation of .
Purna is situated in the Maharashtra state of India.
Demographics
India cen ...
.
It then exits into the neighbouring district of
Nanded where before reaching the town Nanded, it is impounded by the Vishnupuri Dam and thus with it, bringing Asia's largest lift irrigation projects to life. A little downstream from Nanded, the river receives Asna, a small stream, on its left bank. It then runs into the controversial
Babli project soon ends its course within
Maharashtra
Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the second-most populous state in India and the second-most populous country subdi ...
, albeit temporarily, at its merger with a major tributary –
Manjira
The taal, manjira (also spelled manjīrā or manjeera), jalra, karatala, kartal or gini is a pair of clash cymbals, originating in the Indian subcontinent, which make high-pitched percussion sounds. In its simplest form, it consists of a pai ...
.
The river after flowing into Telangana, re-emerges to run as a state boundary separating the
Mancherial,
Telangana
Telangana (; , ) is a state in India situated on the south-central stretch of the Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the eleventh-largest state and the twelfth-most populated state in India with a geographical area of and 35 ...
from
Gadchiroli, Maharashtra. At the state border, it runs between
Sironcha
Sironcha is a town and municipal council in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra state in India. It connected with NH-63.
History
Historically, Sironcha was a key location for the East India Company from Nizam perspective, it was the Southern t ...
and Somnoor Sangam receiving one tributary at each of those nodal points – the
Pranhita and subsequently the
Indravati.
Within Telangana
Godavari enters into Telangana in Nizamabad district at Kandakurthy where Manjira, Haridra rivers joins Godavari and forms Triveni Sangamam. The river flows along the border between
Nirmal
Nirmal is a town and the district headquarters of Nirmal district in the Indian state of Telangana. It is famed for its toys made out of wood.
The district headquarters is located in the town of Nirmal. It borders the Telangana districts of A ...
and
Mancherial districts in the north and
Nizamabad,
Jagtial,
Peddapalli districts to its south. About after entering
Telangana
Telangana (; , ) is a state in India situated on the south-central stretch of the Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the eleventh-largest state and the twelfth-most populated state in India with a geographical area of and 35 ...
it merges with the back waters of the
Sriram Sagar Dam. The river after emerging through the dam gates, enjoys a wide river bed, often splitting to encase sandy islands. The river receives a minor but significant tributary
Kadam river. It then emerges at its eastern side to act as a state border with Maharashtra only to later enter into
Bhadradri Kothagudem district. In this district, the river flows through an important Hindu pilgrimage town –
Bhadrachalam.
The river further swells after receiving a minor tributary
Kinnerasani River and exits into
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
.
Within Andhra Pradesh
Within the state of
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
, the river flows through hilly terrain of the
Eastern Ghats
The Eastern Ghats are a discontinuous range of mountains along India's eastern coast. The Eastern Ghats pass through Odisha, Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu in the south passing some parts of Karnataka as well as Telangana. They are eroded and ...
known as the
Papi hills
Papikonda National Park is a national park in India, located near Rajamahendravaram in the Papi Hills of the Alluri Sitharama Raju and Eluru districts of Andhra Pradesh, and covering an area of . It is an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area ...
which explains the narrowing of its bed as it flows through a gorge for a few km, only to re-widen at
Polavaram. The deepest bed level of Godavari River, located 36 km upstream of Polavaram dam, is at 45 meters below the sea level. Before crossing the Papi hills, it receives its last major tributary
Sabari River on its left bank. The river upon reaching the plains begins to widen out until it reaches Rajahmundry.
Arma Konda
Arma Konda or Sitamma Konda, is a mountain peak in the northern part of the Eastern Ghats and located in Godavari River basin. It is located in the Madugula Konda sub-range north of Paderu village in Andhra Pradesh, India.
Highest point in An ...
() is the highest peak in the Godavari river basin as well as in Eastern Ghats.
Dowleswaram Barrage
The Dowleswaram Barrage Or Dhavaleshwaram Barrage was an irrigation structure originally built in 1852 on the lower stretch of the Godavari River before it empties into the Bay of Bengal. It was rebuilt in 1970 when it was officially renamed as ...
was constructed across the river in Rajahmundry. At Rajahmundry, the Godavari splits into two large branches which are called Gautami (Gautami Godavari) and Vasishta Godavari and five smaller branches. Similarly, the Vasishta splits into two branches named Vasishta and Vainateya. These four branches which join 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 bet ...
at different places, form a delta of length along the coast of the Bay of Bengal and is called the
Konaseema
Konaseema is a group of islands between the tributaries of the Godavari River and Bay of Bengal located in Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district of Andhra Pradesh in southern India. It is nicknamed "Gods Own Creation" due to similarities with ...
region. This delta along with the delta of the
Krishna River is called the ''Rice Granary'' of
South India
South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union terr ...
.
Within Puducherry
The Gautami which is the largest branch of the whole passes along
Yanam of
Union territory of Puducherry
Puducherry (), also known as Pondicherry () or Pondichéry, is a union territory of India, consisting of four small geographically unconnected districts. It was formed out of four territories of former French India, namely Pondichéry (Pondi ...
and empties itself into sea at ''Point Godavery''.
Infact, Yanam is bounded on south by Gautami branch and the
Coringa River
Koringa (also known as Coringa, te, కోరింగ నది) is a branch of the Godavari River flowing in the East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh, India.
History
The river was also historically known as the ''Coringa'', ''Koringa'', ...
originates at Yanam which merges into the sea near
Coringa village in Andhra Pradesh.
Tributaries
The major
tributaries
A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drain ...
of the river can be classified as the left bank tributaries which include the
Purna
:
Purna is a town with a municipal council in Parbhani district in the Indian state of Maharashtra.
Geography
Purna is located at . It has an average elevation of .
Purna is situated in the Maharashtra state of India.
Demographics
India cen ...
,
Pranhita,
Indravati, and
Sabari River covering nearly 59.7% of the total catchment area of the basin and the right bank tributaries
Pravara,
Manjira
The taal, manjira (also spelled manjīrā or manjeera), jalra, karatala, kartal or gini is a pair of clash cymbals, originating in the Indian subcontinent, which make high-pitched percussion sounds. In its simplest form, it consists of a pai ...
, and
Manair together contributing 16.1% of the basin.
The Pranhita River is the largest tributary of the Godavari River, covering about 34% of its drainage basin. Though the river proper flows only for , by virtue of its extensive tributaries
Wardha
Wardha is a city and a municipal council in Wardha district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the administrative headquarters of Wardha district. Wardha gets its name from the Wardha River which flows at the north, west and south bound ...
,
Wainganga
The Wainganga is a river in India originating in the Mahadeo Hills in Mundara near the village Gopalganj in Seoni, Madhya Pradesh. It is a key tributary of the Godavari. The river flows south in a winding course through the states of Madhya Pra ...
,
Penganga, the sub-basin drains all of
Vidharba
Vidarbha (Pronunciation: �id̪əɾbʱə is a geographical region in the east of the Indian state of Maharashtra and a proposed state of central India, comprising the state's Amravati and Nagpur divisions. Amravati Division's former name is Ber ...
region as well as the southern slopes of the
Satpura Ranges. Indravati is the 2nd largest tributary, known as the "lifeline" of the
Kalahandi
Kalahandi (locally pronounced ''Kalahani'') is a district of Odisha in India. Archaeological evidence of Stone Age and Iron Age human settlement has been recovered from the region. Asurgarh offered an advanced, well civilised, cultured and u ...
,
Nabarangapur of
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 ...
and
Bastar district
Bastar is a district in the state of Chhattisgarh in Central India. Jagdalpur is the district headquarters. Bastar is bounded on the northwest by Narayanpur District, on the north by Kondagaon district, on the east by Nabarangpur and Korapu ...
of
Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh (, ) is a landlocked state in Central India. It is the ninth largest state by area, and with a population of roughly 30 million, the seventeenth most populous. It borders seven states – Uttar Pradesh to the north, Madhya Prad ...
. Due to their enormous sub-basins both Indravati and Pranhita are considered rivers in their own right. Manjira is the longest tributary and holds the
Nizam Sagar reservoir. Purna is a prime river in the water scarce
Marathwada region of
Maharashtra
Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the second-most populous state in India and the second-most populous country subdi ...
.
Other than these seven principal tributaries, it has many smaller but significant ones draining into it. Indravati river floodwaters overflow into the Jouranala which is part of Sabari basin. A barrage at is constructed across the Indravati river to divert Indravati water in to Sabari river for enhanced hydropower generation.
Seven mouths of Godavari
Before merging into the Bay of Bengal, the Godavari has seven mouths in total and is considered sacred by local Hindus.
As per their traditional belief, the holy waters of the Godavari are said to have been brought from the head of Lord
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one o ...
by the ''Rishi
Gautama
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in Lu ...
'', and the seven branches by which it is traditionally supposed to have reached the sea are said have been made by seven great rishis known as
Sapta Rishis
The Saptarishi () are the seven rishis of ancient India who are extolled in the Vedas, and other Hindu literature. The Vedic Samhitas never enumerate these rishis by name, although later Vedic texts such as the Brahmanas and Upanisads do so.
...
. Thus, they are named after these seven great rishis
and are named as Tulyabhāga (Tulya or
Kaśyapa
Kashyapa ( sa, कश्यप}, ) is a revered Vedic sage of Hinduism., Quote: "Kasyapa (Rudra),(Vedic Seer)..." He is one of the Saptarishis, the seven ancient sages of the ''Rigveda''. Kashyapa is the most ancient and venerated rishi, a ...
), Ātreya (
Atri), Gautamī (
Gautama
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in Lu ...
),
Jamadagni (now replaced by Vṛddhagautamī i.e. Old Gautami), Bhardwāja (
Bharadwaja), Kauśika (
Viswamitra
Vishvamitra ( sa, विश्वामित्र, ) is one of the most venerated rishis or sages of ancient India. According to Hindu tradition, he is stated to have written most of the Mandala 3 of the Rigveda, including the Gayatri Mant ...
) and Vaśișțha (
Vasishtha
Vasishtha ( sa, वसिष्ठ, IAST: ') is one of the oldest and most revered Vedic rishis or sages, and one of the Saptarishis (seven great Rishis). Vashistha is credited as the chief author of Mandala 7 of the '' Rigveda''. Vashishtha ...
). So bathing in these mouths are considered an act of great religious efficacy by native Hindus. These mouths are remembered by a Sanskrit sloka as follow:
Together they are referred as ''Sapta Godavari'' and the Godavari river before splitting is referred as ''Akhanda Godavari''.
However, there exists another eight mouth named as Vainateyam, which is not one of these traditional seven mouths and is supposed to have been created by a rishi of that name who stole a part of Vasisththa branch. Godavari was frequently referred as Ganga or Ganges by ancient Indian writings.
However, the original branches of ''Kauśika'', ''Bhardwaja'' and ''Jamadagni'' does not exist any longer and the pilgrims bathe in the sea at the spots where they are supposed to have been. The traditional Bharadwāja mouth is in ''Tirthālamondi'' (now bordering Savithri Nagar of
Yanam and before a Hamlet of
Guttenadivi) and the traditional Kauśika mouth is located at Rameswaram, a hamlet of Samathakurru village in Allavaram Mandal of Konaseema district. Traditional mouth of Jamadagni is not known and people instead take bath in the Vriddha Gautami branch at Kundaleswaram village in
Katrenikona Mandal
Katrnikona Mandal is one of the 22 mandals in Konaseema district of Andhra Pradesh. As per census 2011, there are 14 villages in this Mandal.
Demographics
Katrnikona Mandal has total population of 74,819 as per the Census 2011 out of which ...
of Konaseema district. There is a local legend saying the ''
Injaram
Injaram is a village in Kakinada district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh State. It is located in Tallarevu mandal of Kakinada revenue division. The Kakinada district was recently formed in 2022 by carving outKakinada and Peddapuram reven ...
'' and ''Patha (Old) Injaram'' (now on the other bank of Gautami river within Island Polavalam mandal of
Konaseema district) were split by Godavari river. Thus the Godavari passing between these two now referred as Gautami and the old passage being referred as Vriddha Gautami. In early British records, the Injaram ''Paragana'' (district) was counted along with Muramalla village (now located on the other side of Gautami within Island Polavalam mandal) and said to have comprised 22 villages.
Religious significance
The river is sacred to
Hindus
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
and has several places on its banks that have been places of pilgrimage for thousands of years. Amongst the huge numbers of people who have bathed in her waters as a rite of cleansing are said to have been the deity
Baladeva 5000 years ago and the saint
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (; born Vishvambhar Mishra) was a 15th-century Indian saint who is considered to be the combined avatar of Radha and Krishna by his disciples and various scriptures. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's mode of worshipping Krishn ...
500 years ago. Every twelve years,
Pushkaram fair is held on the banks of the river.
A legend has it that the sage Gautama lived in the Brahmagiri Hills at
Tryambakeshwar with his wife Ahalya. The couple lived the rest of their lives in the then village called ''Govuru'', now known as
Kovvur ("cow") since the British rule. Ahalya lived in a nearby place called ''Thagami'' (now
Thogummi). The sage, as a reason for the practice of ''annadanam'' ("giving away food" to the needy), started cultivating rice crops and other crops. Once, the god
Ganesha
Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu ...
, on the wish of the
munis, sent a miraculous cow ''maaya-dhenu'', which resembled a normal cow. It entered the sage's abode and started spoiling the rice while he was meditating. Since cattle is sacred to Hindus and shall always be treated with respect, he put the ''dharbha'' grass on the cow. But, to his surprise, it fell dead. Seeing what happened before their eyes, the munis and their wives cried out, "We thought that Gautama-maharishi is a righteous man, but he committed bovicide (killing of a cow or cattle)!". The sage wished to atone for this grievous sin. Therefore, he went to
Nashik
Nashik (, Marathi: aːʃik, also called as Nasik ) is a city in the northern region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Situated on the banks of river Godavari, Nashik is the third largest city in Maharashtra, after Mumbai and Pune. Nash ...
and observed
tapas to Lord Tryambakeshwara (a manifestation of the god
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one o ...
), on the advice of the munis, praying for atonement and asking Him to make the
Ganges
The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...
flow over the cow. Shiva was pleased with the sage and diverted the Ganges which washed away the cow and gave rise to the Godavari river in Nashik. The water stream flowed past Kovvur and ultimately merged with the Bay of Bengal.
Sapta Sāgara Yatra
In olden days a pilgrimage named as ''sapta sāgara yātra'' was made by those desirous of offspring along the banks of the holy waters from the seven mouths. It starts with holy bathing at Tulyabhaga river at
Chollangi village during On Amavasya day during Krishna Paksha of
Pushya
Pushya is a nakshatra in Indian astrology. Some texts refer to it as Tishya, meaning "to look". It corresponds to γ, δ, and θ Cancri in the Cancer (constellation)
Cancer is one of the twelve constellations of the zodiac and is located in ...
month as per Hindu calendar. That day is locally referred as ''Chollangi Amavasya''. That place where the river branch merges with sea is referred as ''Tulya Sāgara Sangamam''. Secondly, they take bath in
Coringa village in the Coringa river which is considered as Atreya branch of Godavari and the holy bathing place is called as ''Atreya Sāgara Sangamam''. After bathing at different banks of the other branches the pilgrimage ends by bathing near
Narsapuram
Narasapuram, or Narsapur, is a city in West Godavari district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a municipality and mandal headquarters of Narasapuram mandal in Narasapuram revenue division. The city is situated on the banks of the ...
or
Antarvedi.
Settlements along the Godavari
Maharashtra
*
Nashik
Nashik (, Marathi: aːʃik, also called as Nasik ) is a city in the northern region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Situated on the banks of river Godavari, Nashik is the third largest city in Maharashtra, after Mumbai and Pune. Nash ...
(Holy city and site of
Simhastha Kumbha Mela bathing festivals)
*
Trimbakeshwar
Tryambakeshwar Shiva Temple (श्री त्र्यंबकेश्वर ज्योतिर्लिंग मंदिर) is an ancient Hindu temple in the town of Trimbak, in the Trimbakeshwar tehsil in the Nashik District of ...
(shrine to the
Jyotirlinga of the god
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one o ...
)
*
Kopargaon
Kopargaon is a town and municipality located in the Ahmednagar district of the Indian state of Maharashtra.
Geography
Kopargaon is situated at . It has an average elevation of 593 meters (2,117 feet) and lies on the banks of the Godavari ...
*
Puntamba – A place of pilgrimage with several ancient temples including the last resting place (
Samadhi
''Samadhi'' ( Pali and sa, समाधि), in Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and yogic schools, is a state of meditative consciousness. In Buddhism, it is the last of the eight elements of the Noble Eightfold Path. In the Ashtanga Yo ...
) of Sant
Changdev
Changdev Maharaj (also commonly referenced in ancient texts as Changa Deva, Changadeva, or simply Changa) was a mystical yogi turned saint who is believed to have lived in the village of Vateshwar along the banks of the Tapti River for 1,400 year ...
in Puntamba.This town is located in Rahata Taluka of Ahmednagar district and 18 km from holy place of shree saibaba Shirdi. The only temple attributed to Kartik Swamy ( Elder son of Lord Shiva) is located here on bank of river Godavari). River godavari which had entered in kopargapn taluka of Ahmednagar from Niphad taluka of Nashik is the natural frontier between Aurangabad and Ahmednagar districts of Maharashtra onwards until it enters in confluence with river Pravara at Pravarasangam village which comes under Newasa taluka a town where famous Bhakti saint Shree sant Dhnyaneshwar had written critic on Bhagavatgeeta ' Dnyaneshwari'.
*
Paithan (ancient capital of the
Satavahana dynasty
The Satavahanas (''Sādavāhana'' or ''Sātavāhana'', IAST: ), also referred to as the Andhras in the Puranas, were an ancient Indian dynasty based in the Deccan region. Most modern scholars believe that the Satavahana rule began in the la ...
)
*
Gangakhed
Gangakhed is a city located on banks of Godavari River and a municipal council in Parbhani district in the state of Maharashtra, India. It is also known as Dakshin Kashi. It is also the second largest city In Parbhani District.
Demographic ...
*
Nanded (location of the
Hazur Sahib Nanded Sikh Gurdwara)
*
Sironcha
Sironcha is a town and municipal council in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra state in India. It connected with NH-63.
History
Historically, Sironcha was a key location for the East India Company from Nizam perspective, it was the Southern t ...
(town situated near the confluence of Godavari and Pranahita rivers)
Telangana
*
Basara,
Nirmal district (Gnana Saraswati Temple)
* Goodem gutta, Adilabad (temple)
Luxettipet
Luxettipet or Lakshettipet is a municipality and census town in Mancherial district of the Indian state of Telangana. Located on the north bank of godavari river. And it is municipality and the headquarters of Luxettipet mandal. It is located in ...
, Adilabad
*
Mancherial,
Mancherial
*
Godavarikhani
Godavarikhani is a neighbourhood of Ramagundam city in the Indian state of Telangana. It is also called as the Coal City and City of Black Gold. The name of the city was coined by Geetla Janardhan Reddy as it is situated on the banks of the God ...
,
Ramagundam
Ramagundam is a city and municipal corporation in Peddapalli district of the Indian state of Telangana. It is the most populous city in the district and falls under the Peddapalli revenue division. It is located on the banks of the Godava ...
*
Nirmal
Nirmal is a town and the district headquarters of Nirmal district in the Indian state of Telangana. It is famed for its toys made out of wood.
The district headquarters is located in the town of Nirmal. It borders the Telangana districts of A ...
,
Nirmal district (Nirmal toys)
*
Chennur,
Adilabad
*
Tadpakal,
Nizamabad district (Armoor toys)
* Battapur, Nizamabad district (Armoor toys)
*
Dharmapuri, Jagtial district
*
Godavarikhani
Godavarikhani is a neighbourhood of Ramagundam city in the Indian state of Telangana. It is also called as the Coal City and City of Black Gold. The name of the city was coined by Geetla Janardhan Reddy as it is situated on the banks of the God ...
,
Ramagundam
Ramagundam is a city and municipal corporation in Peddapalli district of the Indian state of Telangana. It is the most populous city in the district and falls under the Peddapalli revenue division. It is located on the banks of the Godava ...
,
Sripada Yellampalli Project
*
Manthani,
Peddapalli district
Pedapalli district is a district located in the northern region of the Indian state of Telangana. Its administrative headquarters is at Peddapalli and Commissionerate is at Ramagundam. The district shares boundaries with Mancherial, Karimnaga ...
(Gautameshwara Swami (Shiva) temple, Sri Rama, Sarswathi temples)
*
Kaleshwaram,
Jayashankar Bhupalpally district (Kaleswara Mukhteswara Swamy (Shiva) temple)
*
Mahadevpur Jayashankar Bhupalpally district
*
Eturnagaram, Jayashankar Bhupalpally district
*
Manuguru
Manuguru is a census town and mandal in Bhadradri Kothagudem district in the Indian state of Telangana. It comes under the Mahaboobabad Parliamentary constituency and the Pinapaka Assembly constituency. Manuguru is an urban area, situated on th ...
,
Bhadradri Kothagudem district
*
Bhadrachalam, Bhadradri Kothagudem district
Andhra Pradesh
*
Polavaram, West Godavari district (Sri Bhadrakalisametha Sri Veereswaraswamivari Mandhiram)
*
Rajahmundry
Rajahmundry, officially known as Rajamahendravaram, is a city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh and District headquarters of East Godavari district. It is the sixth most populated city in the state. During British rule, the District of Ra ...
,
East Godavari (where the Akhanda Godavari splits into two streams called "Gautami" and "Vashista" before joining Bay of Bengal)
*
Kovvur,
West Godavari district
*
Ravulapalem
Ravulapalem is a village in Ravulapalem Mandal,Konaseema
Konaseema district of Andhra Pradesh. Ravulapalem is the entry point for the lushy green Konaseema Delta region, often called the Kerala of Andhra. Ravulapalem is well known for its Ban ...
,
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district
Konaseema district, officially known as Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Konaseema district, is a district in Coastal Andhra between the tributaries of the Godavari river in the Konaseema region in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It was carved out of E ...
*
Kothapeta,
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district
Konaseema district, officially known as Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Konaseema district, is a district in Coastal Andhra between the tributaries of the Godavari river in the Konaseema region in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It was carved out of E ...
*
Mukteswaram
Mukteswaram is a village located in Ainavilli Mandal, Konaseema Delta, Amalapuram revenue division in Konaseema district of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is situated near the River Gautami-Godavari, a tributary to the Godavari. Mukteswaram is on ...
, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district (Sri Kshana Muktheswaraswamivari Devalayam)
*
Kotipalli, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district (Sri Someswaraswamivari Alayam)
*
Antarvedi, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district (Antarvedi is famous for the Sri Laxmi Narasimhaswamivari Mandhiram constructed between the 15th and 16th centuries. There is also a temple of Lord Siva that is older than Narasimha Swamy temple. The temple's idol of Lord Siva was installed by Lord Srirama.)
*
Narasapuram
Narasapuram, or Narsapur, is a city in West Godavari district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a municipality and mandal headquarters of Narasapuram mandal in Narasapuram revenue division. The city is situated on the banks of the V ...
, West Godavari district
Puducherry
*
Yanam district
Yanam district is one of the four districts of the Union Territory of Puducherry in India.
Geography
Yanam district occupies an area of ,
It is located south of Kakinada port on the north bank of Godavari river, slightly inland. It is bord ...
(Yanam is an enclave located in East Godavari district, where the Gautami joins 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 bet ...
. It belongs to
Puducherry union territory.)
Places of interest
Sites of pilgrimage include:
*
Basar (originally, Vyasara) – Sri Gyana
Saraswati
Saraswati ( sa, सरस्वती, ) is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, art, speech, wisdom, and learning. She is one of the Tridevi, along with the goddesses Lakshmi and Parvati.
The earliest known mention of Saraswati as a g ...
temple is situated on the banks of Godavari in Adilabad district, Telangana. It is about from state capital Hyderabad and accessible by road and rail (nearest major station: Nizamabad, although Basar station also exists). It is considered that the sage Vyasa wrote the Mahabharata on the banks of Godavari at this location near Harsha house it is the beautiful scenario, and thus the place came to be known as Vyasara.
* Kandhakurthi - Thriveni sangamam where three rivers join. Godavari,
Manjira River and
Haridra River
*
Bhadrachalam – Hindu Temple of
Rama
Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular '' avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Bei ...
constructed by
Bhakta Ramdas in the 16th century
*
Dharmapuri, Telangana – Hindu Temple of
Narasimha
Narasimha ( sa, नरसिंह, lit=man-lion, ), sometimes rendered Narasingha, is the fourth avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. He is regarded to have incarnated in the form of a part-lion, part-man being to slay Hiranyakashipu, to end rel ...
. Godavari flows from north to south in Dharmapuri, hence the river is locally called 'Dakshina Vahini'
outh Flowing*
Kaleshwaram – Sri Kaleswara Mukhteswara swamy Temple is situated here on the banks of Triveni sangamam of rivers godavari and pranahita. It is 125 kilometres away from Karimnagar city, 115 km away from Warangal city.
*
Trimbakeshwar
Tryambakeshwar Shiva Temple (श्री त्र्यंबकेश्वर ज्योतिर्लिंग मंदिर) is an ancient Hindu temple in the town of Trimbak, in the Trimbakeshwar tehsil in the Nashik District of ...
– One of the twelve
Jyotirlingas and ancient temple of
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one o ...
*
Nanded –
Takht Sri Hazur Sahib, second of the five most sacred places in
Sikhism
Sikhism (), also known as Sikhi ( pa, ਸਿੱਖੀ ', , from pa, ਸਿੱਖ, lit=disciple', 'seeker', or 'learner, translit=Sikh, label=none),''Sikhism'' (commonly known as ''Sikhī'') originated from the word ''Sikh'', which comes fro ...
*
Nashik
Nashik (, Marathi: aːʃik, also called as Nasik ) is a city in the northern region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Situated on the banks of river Godavari, Nashik is the third largest city in Maharashtra, after Mumbai and Pune. Nash ...
– One of the four
Sinhastha Kumbh Mela, a Hindu pilgrimage place
*
Paithan – Saint Eknath's native place, famous
Jayakwadi Dam, and a beautiful garden named after Sant Dnyneshwar.
*
Antarvedi, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district - Antarvedi is famous for the Laxmi Narasimha Swamy temple constructed between the 15th and 16th centuries. There is also a temple of Lord Siva that is older than Narasimha Swamy temple. The temple's idol of Lord Siva was installed by Lord Srirama.
*
Konaseema
Konaseema is a group of islands between the tributaries of the Godavari River and Bay of Bengal located in Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district of Andhra Pradesh in southern India. It is nicknamed "Gods Own Creation" due to similarities with ...
– Delta of Godavari
*
Pattiseema – A village where a
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
temple is located on a small hill on an island in the river
*
Kovvur – A village where cows resided and a place where the maaya-dhenu fell dead. Footprints of the maaya-dhenu were seen even today in the famous place Kovvur called "Goshpadakshetram" also called "Gopadala Revu" where the footprints of the holy cow are seen near the temple of Lord Shiva. Also a village which is the reason for the birth of river
Godavari
The Godavari ( IAST: ''Godāvarī'' �od̪aːʋəɾiː is India's second longest river after the Ganga river and drains into the third largest basin in India, covering about 10% of India's total geographical area. Its source is in Trimbakesh ...
. It is famous for a Sanskrit school which has been built 63 years ago.
*
Rajahmundry
Rajahmundry, officially known as Rajamahendravaram, is a city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh and District headquarters of East Godavari district. It is the sixth most populated city in the state. During British rule, the District of Ra ...
– A city known for its role in Telugu culture and birthplace of writers such as
Nannayya, one of the
Kavitrayam trinity of poets who translated the
Mahabharata
The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the '' Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the K ...
into It is known for
floriculture, tourism, industries and its
heritage
Heritage may refer to:
History and society
* A heritage asset is a preexisting thing of value today
** Cultural heritage is created by humans
** Natural heritage is not
* Heritage language
Biology
* Heredity, biological inheritance of physical c ...
The Godavari Pushkaralu is a major local festival that is staged every 12 years.
*
Deomali peak located in the Godavari basin is the highest peak (1672 m
msl) in Odisha state.
Flora and fauna
* The
Krishna Godavari Basin is one of the main nesting sites of the endangered
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 ...
. Godavari is also a home to the endangered fringed-lipped carp (
Labeo fimbriatus).
* The
Coringa mangrove forests in the Godavari delta are the third largest mangrove formation in the country. Part of this has been declared as the
Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, renowned for reptiles. They also provide an important habitat to a wide variety of fish and crustaceans. These forests also act as barriers against cyclones, tropical storms, and
storm surge
A storm surge, storm flood, tidal surge, or storm tide is a coastal flood or tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water commonly associated with low-pressure weather systems, such as cyclones. It is measured as the rise in water level above the ...
s, thus protecting the nearby villages.
* The
Jayakwadi Bird Sanctuary is another haven for birds located near the town of Paithan spread across the back waters of the NathSagar Reservoir formed by impounding the Godavari by the massive
Jayakwadi Dam. Its 341 km
2 area is dotted by islands within the reservoir which serve as nesting sites for the birds.
* The Nandurmadmeshwar Bird Sanctuary is located along the back waters of the Godavari river near
Nashik
Nashik (, Marathi: aːʃik, also called as Nasik ) is a city in the northern region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Situated on the banks of river Godavari, Nashik is the third largest city in Maharashtra, after Mumbai and Pune. Nash ...
at its confluence with
Kadva River. It is known as the Bharatpur of Maharashtra for the wide diversity of bird life that it harbours.
The following are few other wildlife sanctuaries located in the river basin:
*
Bor Wildlife Sanctuary
*
Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary
*
Gautala Wildlife Sanctuary
*
Indravati National Park
*
Kanger Ghati National Park
Kanger Ghati National Park (also called Kanger Valley National Park) was declared a national park in 1982 by the Government of India. Near Jagdalpur in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, it is one of India's densest national parks, and is kno ...
*
Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary
Kawal Tiger Reserve is a nature preserve located at Jannaram mandal of Mancherial District (Old Adilabad district) in the Telangana state of India. The government of India declared Kawal Wildlife Sanctuary to be a Tiger Reserve in 2012. The res ...
*
Kinnerasani Wildlife Sanctuary
*
Kolleru Wildlife Sanctuary
Kolleru Bird Sanctuary is a sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh, India. It covers 673 square kilometers. It was established in November 1999, under the ''Wildlife Protection Act of 1972''. The sanctuary protects part of the Kolleru Lake wetland, which ga ...
*
Manjira Wildlife Sanctuary
Manjira wildlife sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary and reservoir located in the Sangareddy district of Telangana State, India.
Originally a crocodile sanctuary developed to protect the vulnerable species mugger crocodile, today it is home to m ...
*
Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary
*
Navegaon National Park
* Painganga Wildlife Sanctuary
*
Papikonda Wildlife Sanctuary
Papikonda National Park is a national park in India, located near Rajamahendravaram in the Papi Hills of the Alluri Sitharama Raju and Eluru districts of Andhra Pradesh, and covering an area of . It is an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area a ...
*
Pench National Park
*
Pocharam Forest & Wildlife Sanctuary
*
Pranahita Wildlife Sanctuary
*
Tadoba Andhari Tiger Project
* Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary
Waterfalls
Duduma Waterfalls is high and one of the highest waterfalls in southern India. It is located on the
Sileru River which forms boundary between Andhra Pradesh and Odisha states. The following are a few other waterfalls located in the river basin:
*
Bogatha
*
Chitrakoot
*
Kuntala
*
Pochera
*
Sahastrakunda
*
Teerathgarh
Crossings
There are 4 bridges spanning the river between
East Godavari and
West Godavari districts.
#
Old Godavari Bridge
The Old Godavari Bridge (also known as The Havelock Bridge) is a decommissioned bridge that spans the Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh, India. Commissioned in 1900, the bridge served trains plying between Howrah and Madras. It is the earliest o ...
(also known as Havelock bridge, and named after then Madras governor)
#
Godavari Bridge (also known as Rail-cum-road bridge and Kovvur-Rajahmundry Bridge)
#
Godavari Arch Bridge (also known as New railway bridge)
#
Godavari Fourth Bridge
The Godavari Fourth Bridge or Kovvur–Rajahmundry 4th Bridge is built across Godavari River in Rajahmundry, India. This dual bridge connects Kovvur to Diwancheruvu Junction in Rajamahendravaram in via Katheru, Konthamuru, Palacherla areas in ...
(also known as new road bridge)
Details:
* Old Godavari Bridge. Construction of this bridge started in 1876, and was completed in 1897. It was constructed under the supervision of F.T. Granville Walton who had constructed the Dufferin Bridge over the Ganges, and Granville Mills, both British engineers. Spanning over 3 km in length, it linked the East Godavari and West Godavari districts. The bridge has been a vital link enabling trains to run between
Chennai
Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
and
Howrah
Howrah (, , alternatively spelled as Haora) is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. Howrah is located on the western bank of the Hooghly River opposite its twin city of Kolkata. Administratively it lies within Howrah district, and is ...
. Trains continued over the bridge for a century until 1997, when train services over the bridge were suspended after the construction of two additional bridges.
* Godavari Bridge. Construction of this bridge started in 1970, and was completed in 1974. It serves as both a railway and a roadway between the East Godavari and West Godavari Districts.
* Godavari Arch Bridge. This bridge was completed in 1997, was built upstream of the earlier bridges.
* Godavari Fourth Bridge. This bridge is the newest. It was opened to public from Godavari Pushkaras 2015. This is a road connectivity bridge link supposed to ease traffic flow between Rajamundry and Kovvur
Dams
The main Godavari River up to the confluence with Pranhita tributary is dammed fully to utilize the available water for irrigation. However, its main tributaries Pranhita, Indravati and Sabari which join in the lower reaches of the basin, carry three times more water compared to main Godavari. In 2015, the water surplus Godavari River is linked to the water deficit
Krishna River by commissioning the
Polavaram right bank canal with the help of Pattiseema lift scheme to augment water availability to the
Prakasam Barrage located in Andhra Pradesh. More dams are constructed in the Godavari River basin than in any other river basin of India. The following are the few dams located in the river basin:
*
Gangapur Dam: This is a large earth fill dam with gross water storage of 215.88 million cubic metres, and located upstream from
Nashik
Nashik (, Marathi: aːʃik, also called as Nasik ) is a city in the northern region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Situated on the banks of river Godavari, Nashik is the third largest city in Maharashtra, after Mumbai and Pune. Nash ...
city. The reservoir known as the Gangapur Bandh Sagar provides drinking water to the Nashik city and also supplies water to the thermal power station situated downstream at
Eklahare.
*
Jayakwadi Dam: Located near
Paithan, it is one of the largest earthen dams in India. This dam was built to address the dual problems of flooding along the banks, during monsoon months, and that of drought, rest of the year, in the
Marathwada region. Two 'left' and 'right' canals provide the irrigation to fertile land up to
Nanded district. This dam has contributed to industrial development of
Aurangabad and
Jalna,
Maharashtra
Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the second-most populous state in India and the second-most populous country subdi ...
.
Majalgaon Dam
Majalgaon Dam is an earthfill dam on the Sindphana River near Majalgaon, Beed district in the state of Maharashtra, India.
History
Majalgaon dam and Majalgaon Right Bank Canal are components of the Jaikwadi Project Stage II. A dam has been co ...
is also constructed under Jayakwadi stage 2 to expand the irrigation potential further in
Parbhani,
Nanded and
Beed districts.
* Vishnupuri barrage: Asia's Largest Lift Irrigation project, the Vishnupuri Prakalp has been constructed on the river at a distance of from the city
Nanded.
*
Ghatghar Dam was built for hydro power generation by diverting the water of Pravara tributary outside Godavari river basin to a west flowing river which joins Arabian sea.
*
Upper Vaitarna reservoir was built across west flowing
Vaitarna river merging some part of Godavari river catchment area. Godavari water impounded in this reservoir is diverted outside the river basin for
Mumbai
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the secon ...
city drinking water supply after generating hydro power.
*
Sriram Sagar Dam: This is another multipurpose project on the Godavari River on the borders of Adilabad and Nizamabad District. It is near the town of Pochampad, 60 km away from Nizamabad. It has been described by
The Hindu
''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It began as a weekly in 1878 and became a daily in 1889. It is one of the Indian newspapers of record and the sec ...
as a "lifeline for a large part of
Telangana
Telangana (; , ) is a state in India situated on the south-central stretch of the Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the eleventh-largest state and the twelfth-most populated state in India with a geographical area of and 35 ...
". It serves the irrigation needs in
Karimnagar
Karimnagar is also known as Elagandula (Ancient name)
is a city and District Headquarters in the Indian state of Telangana. Karimnagar is a major urban agglomeration and fifth largest City in the state. It is governed by Municipal corporation a ...
,
Warangal
Warangal () is a city in the Indian state of Telangana and the district headquarters of Warangal district. It is the second largest city in Telangana with a population of 704,570 per 2011 Census of India, and spreading over an .
Warangal ser ...
,
Adilabad,
Nalgonda, and
Khammam
Khammam formally (Khammam Mettu) is the city in Khammam district of the Indian state of Telangana. It is the fourth largest city in the state. It is the headquarters of the Khammam district and Khammam Tehsil, mandal also. It is located about ...
districts and also generates power.
*
Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage was built by Sir
Arthur Cotton
General Sir Arthur Thomas Cotton (15 May 1803 – 24 July 1899) was a British general and irrigation engineer.
Cotton devoted his life to the construction of irrigation and navigation canals throughout British India. He helped many people by b ...
in 1852. It got damaged in 1987 floods, and rebuilt as a barrage cum roadway soon after and named after him. The roadway connects
Rajahmundry
Rajahmundry, officially known as Rajamahendravaram, is a city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh and District headquarters of East Godavari district. It is the sixth most populated city in the state. During British rule, the District of Ra ...
in East Godavari and
Vijjeswaram in West Godavari. The irrigation canals of this barrage also form part of
National Waterway 4.
Hydro power stations
The Godavari river in Maharashtra is one of the rivers whose water energy is least harnessed for generating hydro electricity. The 600 MW capacity
Upper Indravati hydro power station is the biggest hydro power station which diverts Godavari River water to the
Mahanadi River basin. The following is the list of hydro electric power stations excluding small and medium installations.
Unutilized water
Nearly 2490
tmcft of water has gone waste to the sea on average in a water year from 1 June 2003 to 31 May 2022 (19 years). The yearly water unutilized is given below
Geology and sediment transfer in the Godavari Drainage Basin
The primary and initial catchment of the Godavari drainage basin is largely represented by the basalt of the
Deccan Volcanic Province (~50% of the total basin area). This is followed by the
Precambrian
The Precambrian (or Pre-Cambrian, sometimes abbreviated pꞒ, or Cryptozoic) is the earliest part of Earth's history, set before the current Phanerozoic Eon. The Precambrian is so named because it preceded the Cambrian, the first period of th ...
granite
Granite () is a coarse-grained ( phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies un ...
s and
gneiss
Gneiss ( ) is a common and widely distributed type of metamorphic rock. It is formed by high-temperature and high-pressure metamorphic processes acting on formations composed of igneous or sedimentary rocks. Gneiss forms at higher temperatures a ...
es of the eastern
Dharwar Craton
The Dharwar Craton is an Archean continental crust craton formed between 3.6-2.5 billion years ago ( Ga), which is located in southern India and considered as the oldest part of the Indian peninsula.
Studies in the 2010s suggest that the craton c ...
,
sandstone
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks.
Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicat ...
s,
shales and
limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms w ...
s of the
Gondwana
Gondwana () was a large landmass, often referred to as a supercontinent, that formed during the late Neoproterozoic (about 550 million years ago) and began to break up during the Jurassic period (about 180 million years ago). The final sta ...
Supergroup, various sedimentary units of Cuddapah and Vindhyan basins,
charnockites and
khondalites of the
Proterozoic
The Proterozoic () is a geological eon spanning the time interval from 2500 to 538.8million years ago. It is the most recent part of the Precambrian "supereon". It is also the longest eon of the Earth's geologic time scale, and it is subdivided i ...
Eastern Ghats
The Eastern Ghats are a discontinuous range of mountains along India's eastern coast. The Eastern Ghats pass through Odisha, Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu in the south passing some parts of Karnataka as well as Telangana. They are eroded and ...
Mobile Belt and the sandstones of the Rajahmundry Formation.
The Godavari River carries the largest sediment load among the peninsular rivers and the majority of the mass transfer in Godavari occurs during the monsoon. Mineral magnetic studies of the Godavari River sediments suggest that the floodplains in the entire stretch of the river are characterized by a Deccan basalt source. The bed loads on the other hand are of sourced from local bedrock. Influx of Deccan source in the Godavari River up to the delta regions and possibly in 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 bet ...
off the Godavari, therefore, can be related to the intensive
chemical weathering in the Deccan basalts.
Abrupt increase in δ
13C values and decrease in TOC content accompanied with a significant increase in ferrimagnetic mineral concentration in Bay of Bengal sediments from ~3.2 to 3.1 cal. ka BP reflected a shift of organic carbon and sediment source and a severe decline in vegetation coverage. Such phenomena indicate intensified deforestation and soil/rock erosion in the Deccan Plateau producing higher ferrimagnetic mineral inputs, which is in agreement with significant expansion of agricultural activities in the Deccan Chalcolithic cultural period.
Mineral deposits
The Godavari River basin is endowed with rich mineral deposits such as oil and gas, coal, iron,
limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms w ...
, manganese, copper,
bauxite
Bauxite is a sedimentary rock with a relatively high aluminium content. It is the world's main source of aluminium and gallium. Bauxite consists mostly of the aluminium minerals gibbsite (Al(OH)3), boehmite (γ-AlO(OH)) and diaspore (α-AlO ...
, granite,
laterite
Laterite is both a soil and a rock type rich in iron and aluminium and is commonly considered to have formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are of rusty-red coloration, because of high iron oxide content. They develop by ...
, and others. The following are the few noted deposits:
*
Araku hills, bauxite
*
Godavari Valley Coalfield, coal
*
Bailadila iron, iron
*
Krishna Godavari Basin, oil & gas
*
Malanjkhand
Malanjkhand also referred to as MCP (acronym for Malanjkhand Copper Project) is an open-pit copper mine in India, located near the town of Malanjkhand, northeast of Balaghat in Madhya Pradesh, at an altitude of 576 MRL. It falls in the tehsil ...
, copper
*
MOIL, manganese
*
Pench Kanhan Coalfield, coal
*
Rowghat Mines, iron
*
Wardha Valley Coalfield, coal
Ecological concerns
The frequent drying up of the Godavari river in the drier months has been a matter of great concern. Indiscriminate damming along the river has been cited as an obvious reason. Within Maharashtra sugarcane irrigation has been blamed as one of the foremost causes.
In 2013, the river was at its all-time low in the
Nizamabad district of Telangana. This had hit the growth of fish, making the life of fishermen miserable. The water-level was so low that people could easily walk into the middle of the river. Shortage in rainfall and closure of the controversial
Babli project gates in Maharashtra was thought to have affected the water flow in the river and water availability to the
Sriram Sagar Project except during above 20% excess monsoon (i.e. one out of four years) years.
A study has found that the delta is at a greater risk as the rate of sediment
aggradation (raising the level of the delta through sediment deposition) no longer exceeds relative
sea level rise
Globally, sea levels are rising due to human-caused climate change. Between 1901 and 2018, the globally averaged sea level rose by , or 1–2 mm per year on average.IPCC, 2019Summary for Policymakers InIPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cr ...
. It further states that the suspended sediment load at the delta has reduced from 150·2 million tons during 1970–1979 to 57·2 million tons by 2000–2006, which translates into a three-fold decline in the past 4 decades. Impacts of this can be seen in destroyed villages like
Uppada in Godavari delta, destruction of Mangrove forests and fragmentation of shoreline – possibly a fallout of dam construction.
Said to further epitomise the insensitivity towards Godavari, is the
Polavaram Project which is touted to be gigantic – both in terms of size and violations. Deemed as being pointless and politically driven, the project raises questions about environmental clearance, displacement of upstream human habitations, loss of forest cover, technicalities in the dam design which are said to play down flood threats and unsafe embankments.
High alkalinity water is discharged from the ash dump areas of many coal fired power stations into the river which further increases the
alkalinity of the river water whose water is naturally of high alkalinity since the river basin is draining vast area of
basalt
Basalt (; ) is an aphanitic (fine-grained) extrusive igneous rock formed from the rapid cooling of low-viscosity lava rich in magnesium and iron (mafic lava) exposed at or very near the surface of a rocky planet or moon. More than 90 ...
formations. This problem aggravates during the lean flow months in entire river basin. Already the Godavari basin area in Telangana is suffering from high alkalinity and salinity water problem which is converting soils in to unproductive
sodic alkali soils.
The following are the few coal fired power stations located in the river basin:
In popular culture
One of the ships of the
Indian Navy
The Indian Navy is the maritime branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the navy. As a blue-water navy, it operates si ...
has been named
INS ''Godavari'' after the river. ''Godavari'' is also the codename of some variants of
AMD APU chips.
Read More
#
Peninsular River System Of India
See also
*
Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal
*
Detailed list of Tributaries
*
Godavari River Basin Irrigation Projects
*
Godavari Arch Bridge
*
Godavari Bridge
*
Old Godavari Bridge
The Old Godavari Bridge (also known as The Havelock Bridge) is a decommissioned bridge that spans the Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh, India. Commissioned in 1900, the bridge served trains plying between Howrah and Madras. It is the earliest o ...
*
List of dams and reservoirs in India
*
River basins in Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the second la ...
*
Godavari Maha Pushkaram
Godavari Maha Pushkaram () was a Hindu festival held from 14 July to 25 July 2015. This festival occurs once every 144 years, corresponding to the 12th recurrence of the 12-year Godavari Pushkaram cycle.
The festival starts from the Ashadha (J ...
References
Notes
External links
Gautami Mahatmya (fourth book of the Brahma-purana)English translation by G. P. Bhatt, 1955 (includes glossary)
Godavari basinRivers Network: Godavari watersheds webmap
*
Nashik CityContrasting Behavior of Osmium in the Godavari River Estuary, India, 2001Variations of Monsoon Rainfall in Godavari River Basinirfca.org
{{Authority control
Rivers of Andhra Pradesh
Rivers of Maharashtra
Rivers of Telangana
Rivers of Chhattisgarh
Rivers of Puducherry
Rivers of the Western Ghats
Ancient Indian rivers
South India
Environment of Andhra Pradesh
Environment of Maharashtra
Environment of Telangana
Rivers of India
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