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The Godavari is the second longest river in India after the river Ganges. It starts in Maharashtra and flows for 1,465 kilometres (910 mi) into the Bay of Bengal via the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. It forms one of the largest river basins in India. [4]
The Godavari originates 80 kilometres (50 mi) from the Arabian Sea in the Western Ghats of central India near Trimbakeshwar in Maharashtra. It flows for 1,465 kilometres (910 mi), first eastwards across the Deccan Plateau then turns southeast, entering the West Godavari district and East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, until it splits into two watercourses that widen into a large river delta and flow into the Bay of Bengal.[5] [6]
The Godavari River has a drainage area of 312,812 km2 (120,777 sq mi), which is nearly one-tenth of the area of India and is greater than the areas of England and Ireland put together. Major tributaries of the river include the Purna (South), Pravara, Indravati, Manjira River, Bindusara River, Sabari River, Wainganga, and Wardha River.[7]
In Maharashtra:
In Telangana:
In Andhra Pradesh:
In Puducherry:
Dummugudem Barrage on Godavari in Khammam District
The Rail-Road Bridge in between Rajahmundry and Kovvur
Havelock Bridge on Godavari River
Sunset on the Godavari river. The Havelock Bridge can be seen in the background
Godavari river at Parnasala near Bhadrachalam
HYB-VSKP Godavari Express is named after River Godavari.
A dried-up Godavari river as seen from the rail bridge near Manchiryal
A barrage (dam) was built on the river at Dowleswaram by Sir Arthur Cotton in 1852. It was damaged in 1987 floods, and rebuilt as a barrage and roadway soon after and named after him. The roadway connects Dowleswaram in East Godavari and Vijjeswaram in West Godavari.
There is also a large dam built just after the source of the river at Trimbakeshwar. The dam is in the town of Gangapur, which literally means 'a town on a river'. The dam provides drinking water to the residents of Nashik and also supplies water to the thermal power station situated downstream at Eklahare, which provides power to the town.
There is another multipurpose project on the Godavari River named Sriram Sagar Project on the borders of Adilabad and Nizamabad District. It is in the town of Pochampad, 60 km away from Nizamabad. It irrigates 4 districts of Telangana and supplies power.
The Jayakwadi dam near Paithan is one of the largest earthen dams in India. This dam was built to address the problem of drought in Marathwada region and the problem of flooding along the bank of river. Two 'left' and 'right' canals provide the irrigation to fertile land up to Nanded district. This dam has contributed to industrial development of Aurangabad Maharashtra. Asia's Largest Lift Irrigation project,the Vishnupuri Prakalp has been constructed on the river at a distance of 5 km from the city Nanded.
There are 3 railway bridges spanning the river between East Godavari and West Godavari districts.
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 and Howrah. 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.
This bridge constructed over a quarter of a century ago, serves as both a railway bridge and as a roadway between the East Godavari and West Godavari Districts.
This bridge was completed in 1987, was built upstream of the earlier bridges.
The River is sacred to Hindus 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 500 years ago. Every twelve years, Pushkaram fair is held on its banks of the river.
A legend has it that the Sage Gautama lived in the Brahmagiri Hills at Trayambakeshwar with his wife Ahalya. The Rishi kept his stock of rice in a granary. Once, a cow entered his granary and ate up the rice. When the Rishi tried to ward the cow away with darbha grass, it fell dead. The Rishi wished to atone for the sin of ‘Gohatya’ - killing a sacred cow. He prayed to Lord Shiva and requested him to divert the river Ganges to purify his hermitage. Lord Shiva was pleased with the Rishi so appeared in his Triambaka manifestation and diverted the river Ganges to flow past his homestead.
The Coringa mangrove forests in the Godavari delta are the second 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 tidal waves thus protecting the nearby villages.
The Krishna Godavari basin is one of the main nesting sites of the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtle.
Godavari is also a home to the endangered fringed-lipped carp (Labeo fimbriatus).[8]
One of the ships of the Indian Navy has been named INS Godavari after the river.
Sites of pligramage include:
Mumbai, Marathi literature, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Varkari, Marathi language
Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, Karnataka, Khammam district, India
India, Telangana, Visakhapatnam, Karnataka, Indian rupee
Delhi, India, Rajasthan, Pakistan, Maharashtra
Maharashtra, Mumbai, India, Pune, Nagpur
Godavari river, Indian Railways, Rajahmundry, India, Prestressed concrete
Rajahmundry, Godavari river, Chennai, Culture, Godavari Arch Bridge
Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Karnataka, India
Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Eastern Ghats, Godavari River, Chhattisgarh