How long is the Godavari River and where does it start?
The Godavari River flows for 1,465 km. It originates in the Western Ghats near Nashik in Maharashtra, about 80 km from the Arabian Sea, and empties into the Bay of Bengal.
Questions about Godavari River
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Why is the Godavari River called the Dakshina Ganga?
Dakshina Ganga means Southern Ganges. The Godavari earned this title because it is the largest river in peninsular India by length, catchment area, and discharge, making it a southern counterpart to the Ganges.
How many mouths does the Godavari River have at the sea?
The Godavari has seven traditional sacred mouths, collectively called the Sapta Godavari, each named after one of seven great rishis. An eighth mouth, Vainateyam, also exists but is not part of the traditional seven.
What is the religious significance of the Godavari River to Hindus?
The Godavari is sacred to Hindus and has been a site of pilgrimage for thousands of years. Every twelve years the Pushkaram fair is held on its banks. Bathing in the river is considered an act of great religious purification, and the deity Baladeva and the saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu are among those said to have bathed in its waters.
What is the biggest tributary of the Godavari River?
The Pranhita River is the largest tributary of the Godavari, covering about 34% of the Godavari's drainage basin. Despite flowing for only 113 km, it drains all of the Vidarbha region and the southern slopes of the Satpura Ranges through its own extensive sub-tributaries.
What environmental problems is the Godavari River facing?
The Godavari faces drying in summer months linked to heavy damming and sugarcane irrigation in Maharashtra, falling sediment loads at the delta (down from 150.2 million tons in 1970-1979 to 57.2 million tons by 2000-2006), alkaline discharge from coal-fired power stations, and delta subsidence that is no longer offset by sediment deposition.