Godavari River is considered to be one of 7 sacred Indian rivers. It is India`s second longest river. Godavari River also has the distinction of being the largest river in the Indian peninsula considering its length, catchment area and discharge. It has been serving as a life giver and sanctifier for most of the towns in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. Pushkar Mela, a major bathing festival is held on the banks of the river, after every 12 years. One of the ships of the Indian Navy called INS Godavari has derived its name from the name of the river.

Geology of Godavari River
Geology of Godavari River relates to the soil with rich alluvium deposits and rich mineral deposits. Some of the minerals in the Godavari River Basin are coal, iron, manganese, copper and bauxite.

Geography of Godavari River
Godavari River runs for a length of about 1,465 kilometers. It covers 8 Indian states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Puducherry (Yanam), Odisha and Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh and possesses about 313,000 square kilometers of drainage area.

Course of Godavari River
Origin of Godavari River is in Brahmagiri Mountain at Trimbakeshwar in Nashik district of Maharashtra. From the origin, starts the course of Godavari River. Godavari River initially journeys eastwards across the Deccan Plateau and through Maharashtra. It then turns southeast and enters the West Godavari district and East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, until it divides into two parts. Godavari River finally empties itself into the Bay of Bengal in Andhra Pradesh.

Tributaries of Godavari River
The main tributaries of River Godavari are Penganga River, Pranahita River, Indravati River, Manjira, Sabari River and Manair. The tributaries of River Godavari are responsible for the supply of water in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.

Religious Significance of Godavari River
Religious Significance of Godavari River relates to the existence of several places of pilgrimages along the river. Apart from Ganga River and Yamuna River, Godavari holds exceptional religious value. Godavari River is a sacred river of the Hindus. A major pilgrimage spot at the river site is Trimbakeshwar Temple, the ancient temple of Lord Shiva. Nanded Takht Sri Hazur Sahib is a sacred place for the Sikhs. Bhadrachalam Rama Temple is the temple of Lord Rama at the river site. Many famous Indian mythological personalities like Baladeva (5000 years ago) and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (500 years ago) took bath in the river water as an act of worship. As per Indian Puranas, River Ganga should be visited by someone, after visiting Godavari River.

Ecological Significance of Godavari River
Ecological Significance of River Godavari and its states rank the 5th position in India in the section of biodiversity. Godavari River Basin is one of the most cultivable lands in India. India is the 7th richest country in the world in terms of biodiversity. It supports about 10 percent of the world`s biodiversity, which coincides with only 2 percent of the world`s land area. This bestows a great responsibility on the government of India to protect and conserve the rich flora and fauna and ecological diversity of Godavari River basin.

Developments at the Site of Godavari River
Godavari River splits into 2 streams which widen into a large river delta providing an extensive navigable canal irrigation system, below Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh. The irrigation canals are a part of Dowleswaram Barrage. They link the delta of Godavari River with the River Krishna Delta in the southwest, making the region one of the richest rice-growing areas in India. Sriram Sagar Dam on Godavari River serves the purpose of irrigation. In Nizamabad district in Andhra Pradesh, there is a multipurpose project on the sacred river called the Sriramsagar Project. Some of the other developments on Godavari River are Gangapur Dam, Ghatghar Dam and Jayakwadi Dam.

Places of Interest along Godavari River
Godavari River has several major districts, cities of India, towns and villages along it. In Maharashtra, Nanded district, the cities of Trimbak, Paithan and Nashik, town of Kopargaon and village of Mahegaon Deshmukh are located along the Godavari River. In Andhra Pradesh, the city of Rajahmundry, the towns of Kovvur and Narsapuram and the village of Tallapudi lie on the banks of Godavari River. In Telangana, Mancherial, Kaleshwaram, Bhadrachalam, Basara, Godavarikhani and Dharmapuri are located along the Godavari River.

Threats to Godavari River
Godavari River is under serious threat as a result of the growing civilization and industries. The river has been drying at a disturbing rate due to the pollution fashioned by the factories. The main reason behind the pollution of Godavari River is the small Nakavaggu rivulet that joins the Manjira River. Nakavaggu rivulet is not a source of life in the course of the river. Domestic wastes have also caused pollution in the river basin.