The Godavari River is one of the major rivers of India and the second longest in the country after the Ganges. It is often referred to as the "Dakshina Ganga" or the "Ganges of the South.” The Godavari River originates from the Trimbak Plateau near Nashik in Maharashtra, at an elevation of approximately 1,067 meters above sea level. The river is about 1,465 kilometers long. The Godavari flows eastward across the Deccan Plateau, passing through the states of Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha as well as smaller parts of Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and the Union Territory of Puducherry (Yanam).
The Godavari basin is bounded by:
Satmala Hills
Ajanta Range
Mahadeo Hills on the North
Eastern Ghats on the South and the East
Western Ghats on the West
Godavari Delta:
The Godavari Delta is one of the most fertile regions in India, known for rice cultivation and is often referred to as the "Rice Bowl of Andhra Pradesh."
The delta extends over the East and West Godavari districts in Andhra Pradesh, forming an extensive network of distributaries before emptying into the Bay of Bengal.
Left Bank Tributaries:
Penganga
Originates in the Ajanta ranges in the Aurangabad district in Maharashtra. Flows through the Buldhana and Washim districts, along the state border between Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.
Passes through Penganga Wildlife Sanctuary
Sahastrakund Waterfalls are situated on it.
Wainganga
Literary means ‘arrow of water’.
Origin: Mahadeo Hills of the Satpura Range of Madhya Pradesh, flows through Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Wardha
One of Maharashtra’s biggest rivers in the Vidarbha region. It originates in the Satpura Range near Multai in the Betul District of Madhya Pradesh
states: Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
It joins Wainganga, and together they are called Pranhita, which ultimately flows into the Godavari River.
Pranahita
Conveying the combined waters of Penganga, the Wardha, and Wainganga
The river drains a large part of Vidarbha region in Maharashtra, as well as the Satpura Range in southeast Madhya Pradesh.
It flows along the border of Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra and Komaram Bheem Asifabad district in Telangana.
Puma
Kadam
Sabari
Origin: Eastern Ghats in Odisha
It is also known as Kolab River in Odisha.
It forms a common boundary between Chhattisgarh and Odisha states.
It later enters into Andhra Pradesh to merge with River Godavari.
Indravati
Originates in the Eastern Ghats of Odisha and is one of the largest tributaries, joining the Godavari at Bhadrakali in Dantewada district of Telangana.
Shivana
Taliperu
Sileru
Duduma Waterfalls is one of the highest waterfalls in southern India.[citation needed] It is located on the Sileru River which forms boundary between Andhra Pradesh and Odisha states.
Right Bank Tributaries:
Pravara
Rises on the eastern slopes of the Sahayadris between Kulang and Ratangad mountains in the Ahmednagar District of Maharashtra.
It is the only tributary which originates in the Western Ghats
Also, it is the only tributary of Godavari to have both its source and confluence located within the same district - Ahmednagar.
Darna
Mula
Manjira
Origin: Balaghat range, near Ahmednagar.
Flows through the Latur District of Maharashtra and the Bidar District of Karnataka before entering the Medak District of Andhra Pradesh.
This river is one of the Triveni Sangam.
The final stretch of the river forms the border between Maharashtra (west) and Telangana (east).
Manjira, along with the Haridra River, merges with Godavari River at the border.
Sindpana
Kinnerasani
Maneru
Important cities on the Bank of River Godavari:
Trimbakeshwar: It is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva.
NOTE: It is believed that there is no sacred place like Trimbakeshwar, no river like Godavari and no mountain like Bhrahmagiri.
Nashik (Maharashtra)
Paithan (Aurangabad district of Maharashtra)
Nanded (Maharashtra): It is earlier known as ‘Nandigram’.
Bhadrachalam (Telangana)