River Godavari is a major waterway in central India, originating in the Western Ghats flowing eastwardly across Deccan Plateau. Its traditional source is on the side of a hill behind the village of Trimbak in Nasik district,Bombay, where the water runs into a reservoir from the lips of an image. But according to popular legend it proceeds from the same ultimate source as the Ganges, though underground. Its course is generally south-easterly Trimbakeshwar of Maharashtra and and then turns to flow in a southeast direction until it empties into the Bay of Bengal through two mouths. Godavari river almost for a length of 1465 Km and has a total catchment area of 31 ha. It is a second largest river in India, the main tributaries of River Godavari are Penganga, Pranahita, Indravathi, Manjeeva, Sabari, Bindusara, Pranava, Waiganga, Wardha, Pench, Kanchan and Manair. The Sri Ram Sagar Project which was constructed on this river (1964-69) serves the irrigation needs of Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar and Warangal districts. The head of the delta is at the village of Dowlaishweram, where the main stream is crossed by the irrigation anicut. The river has seven mouths, the largest being the Gautami Godavari. The upper waters of the Godavari are scarcely utilized for irrigation, but the entire delta has been turned into a garden of perennial crops by means of the anicut at Dowlaishweram, constructed by Sir Arthur Cotton, from which three main canals are drawn off. The river channel here is 31 m. wide..
Religious Significance
Legend has it that Sage Gautama lived on the Brahmagiri Hills at Triambakeshwar 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 Durbha grass, it fell dead. The rishi wanted to relieve himself of the sin of 'Gohatya'. He worshipped Lord Shiva and requested him to bring Ganga to purify his hermitage. Lord Shiva pleased with the rishi appeared as Triambaka and brought along river Ganga. Since Ganga was brought down to Triambakeshwar by Sage Gautama, she is known here as Gautami. She is also known as Godavari because the river helped Sage Gautama to relieve his sins.
River Godavari is sacred to Hindus and has several pilgrimage centers on its banks. It has been held as a special place of pilgrimage for many thousands of years. Many famous personalities, including Baladeva (5000 years ago) and more recently Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (500 years ago) have bathed in her waters as an act of worship.
River Godavari is regarded as peculiarly sacred, and once every twelve years, the great bathing festival called "Pushkaram" fair is held on its banks of the river. Thousands of people have a holy dip in the sacred waters of the river to purify themselves of all their sins. On the banks of river Godavari so many famous pilgrim places are existing like Goddeses Saraswathi temple, Basara Lord Sri Laxmi Nrusimhaswamy temple, Dharmapudi are in Adilabad district, Lord Srirama temples at Bhadrachalam, Parnasala, Sriramagiri, Lord Veereswara Swamy Temple, Perantapalli are in Khammam district, Lord Veerahadra Swamy temple, Pattiseema, Lord Mahanandeswara Swamy Temple in West Godavari district and Goddesses Gandhi Pochamma Temple, Gonduru, Lord Kotilingeswara Swamy, Uma Markandeya Swamy Temples and Iscon Temple at Rajahmundry, Sidda Janardhana Swamy Temple, Kotipalli, Lord Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple, Antharvedhi are in East Godavari district. |
