The Godavari is the second longest river in India after the river Ganga. 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, only Ganges, Yamuna rivers have more catchment area than it, and its catchment area is largest of peninsular India.[4]
The Godavari originates 80 kilometres (50 mi) from the Arabian Sea in the Western Ghats of central India near Nasik 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 Coverage 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]
After crossing Rajahmundry, the Godavari splits into two distributary branches which are called Vriddha Gautami (Gautami Godavari) and Vasishta Godavari. Again the branch Gautami splits into two branches namely Gautami and Nilarevu. Similarly the Vasishta splits into two branches named Vasishta and Vainateya. These four distributary mouths which join the Bay of Bengal at different places form a delta of length 170 km along the coast of the Bay of Bengal. This delta along with the delta of the Krishna River is called the Rice Granary of South India. [8]
Significance[edit]
Religious significance[edit]
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 the banks of the river.
A legend has it that the Sage Gautama lived in the Brahmagiri Hills at Trayambakeshwar with his wife Ahalya. The couple lived the rest of their lives in the then village "Govuru" which is now called "Kovvur"[Cow = ఆవు/గోవు] after the British rule. Ahalya lived in a nearby place "Thagami" which in due course of time changed to the name "Thogummi" .The Rishi as a reason for Annadanam(The nature of giving away food), started cultivating rice crops and other crops. Once, a holy cow(maaya-dhenu) created by Lord Ganesh on the wish of munis, which resembled a normal cow entered his abode and started spoiling the rice while he was meditating. Knowing that a cow shall not be treated harshly, he put the dharbha grass on the cow and to his surprise it fell dead. The munis and muni-patnis said “we thought that Gautama maharshi is an Uttama, but he did Go-hatya!”. The Rishi wished to atone for the sin of ‘Gohathya’ - killing a sacred cow. He went to Nashik and did Tapas to Lord Tryambakeshwar(Lord Shiva) on the advice of the other rishis. The rishi requests the lord to release him from the sin by making the River Ganges flow over the cow. Lord Shiva was pleased with the Rishi and diverted the river Ganges to flow over the cow where it died which is in "Govuru". The River Godavari is thus born in Nashik and flowing past the village Kovvur and merge with the Bay of Bengal at last.
Ecological significance[edit]
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).[9]
Other significance[edit]
Trimbakeshwar
One of the ships of the Indian Navy has been named INS Godavari after the river.
Settlements along the Godavari[edit]
Statue of Mother Godavari at Rajahmundry Railway station
In Maharashtra:
Nashik (Holy city and site of kumbh mela bathing festivals)
Trimbakeshwar (shrine to the Jyotirlinga of the god Shiva)
Kopargaon
Puntamba - A place of pilgrimage with a number of ancient temples including the last resting place (Samadhi) of Sant Changdev
Dried up Godavari as seen from the Changdeo temple
in Puntamba.
Paithan (Ancient capital of the Satavahana dynasty)
Gangakhed
Nanded (Location of the Hazur Sahib Nanded Sikh gurdwara)
Sironcha (Town situated near the confluence of Godavari and Pranahita rivers)
In Telangana:
Basara, Adilabad (Gnana Saraswati Temple)
Goodem gutta, Adilabad (Temple)Luxettipet,Adilabad.
Mancherial, Adilabad
Nirmal, Adilabad (Nirmal Toys)
Chennur, Adilabad
Tadpakal, Nizamabad (Armoor Toys)
Battapur, Nizamabad (Armoor Toys)
Dharmapuri, Karimnagar (Narasimha Swamy Temple)
Godavarikhani, Karimnagar
Manthani, Karimnagar (Gautameshwara Swami(Siva) Temple, Sri Rama, Sarswathi Temples)
Kaleshwaram, Karimnagar (Kaleswara Mukhteswara swamy (Siva) Temple)
Mahadevpur
Eturunagaram, Warangal
Bhadrachalam, Khammam
In Andhra Pradesh:
Rajamundry, East Godavari (Sri Kotilingeswara Alayam)
Mukteswaram, East Godavari (Sri Kshana Muktheswaraswamivari Devalayam)
Ravulapalem, East Godavari
Dhavaleswaram, East Godavari (Where the Akhanda Godavari splits into two streams called "Vriddha Gautami" and "Vashista" before joining Bay of Bengal)
Kotipalli, East Godavari (Sri Someswaraswamivari Alayam)
Antarvedi, East Godavari(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.
Yanam (Yanam is located in East Godavari District, where the Vriddha Gautami joins Bay of Bengal)
Polavaram, West Godavari (Sri Bhadrakalisametha Sri Veereswaraswamivari Mandhiram)
Pattiseema, West Godavari (Sri Veerabhadraswamivari Devalayam)
Kovvur, West Godavari (Sundareswaraswamivari Alayam)
Tallapudi, West Godavari
Narsapur, West Godavari
Sites of pligramage include:
Antarvedi, East Godavari(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.
Basar (originally, Vyasara) - Sri Gyana Saraswati temple is situated on the banks of Godavari in Adilabad district, Telangana. It is 210 km 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.
Bhadrachalam - Hindu Temple of Lord Rama.
Dharmapuri, Telangana - Hindu Temple of Lord Narasimha. Godavari flows from North to South in Dharmapuri, hence the river is localled called 'Dakshina Vahini' [South Flowing]
Kaleshwaram - Sri Kaleswara Mukhteswara swamy Temple is situated here on the banks of Triveni sangamam of rivers godavari and pranahita. It is 125 kilometers away from Karimnagar city, 115 km away from Warangal city.
Konaseema - Delta of Godavari.
Nanded - Takht Sri Hazur Sahib, One of the five most sacred places in Sikhism.
Nashik - One of the four Sinhastha Kumbh Mela, Hindu pilgrimage place.
Paithan - Saint Eknath's native place, famous Jayakwadi dam, and a beautiful garden named after Sant Dnyneshwar.
Pattiseema - A village where a Hindu 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. Foot prints of the maaya-dhenu were seen even today in the famous place Kovvur called "Goshpadakshetram" also called "Gopadala Revu" where the foot prints 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. Famous for a Sanskrit school which has been built 63 years back.
Rajahmundry - A town known for its role in Telugu culture and birthplace of writers such as Nannaya, one of the Kavitrayam trinity of poets who translated the Mahabharata into Telugu. The Godavari Pushkaralu is a major local festival that is staged every 12 years.
Trimbakeshwar - One of the twelve Jyotirlingas and ancient temple of Lord Shiva.
