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Godavari River | Map, Origin, Tributaries, Dams, & History | Britannica
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class="desktop-header-image module-spacing"> <figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-20 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="13684" data-asm-type="image"> <div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"> <a style="min-height: 160px;" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/36/2936-050-79D8CB7E/Ghats-Nashik-Godavari-River-India-Maharashtra.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/236692/13179"> <picture> <source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/36/2936-050-79D8CB7E/Ghats-Nashik-Godavari-River-India-Maharashtra.jpg?w=300"> <img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/36/2936-050-79D8CB7E/Ghats-Nashik-Godavari-River-India-Maharashtra.jpg?w=400&h=300&c=crop" alt="Nashik, Maharashtra, India: ghats along Godavari River" loading="eager" /> </picture> <button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"> <em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em> </button> </a> </div> <figcaption class="card-body"> <div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"> <span> <a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/36/2936-050-79D8CB7E/Ghats-Nashik-Godavari-River-India-Maharashtra.jpg" data-href="/media/1/236692/13179">Nashik, Maharashtra, India: ghats along Godavari River</a> <span><span>Ghats along the Godavari River in Nashik, Maharashtra, India.</span></span> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <span class="link-blue">(more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </figcaption> </figure> </div><div class="topic-header"> <div class="d-flex align-items-top justify-content-between"> <div class="d-flex flex-column"> <div> <div> <h1>Godavari River</h1></div> </div> <div class="topic-identifier font-16 font-md-20">river, India</div> </div> </div> <div class="d-none d-sm-flex flex-row"> <div class="mr-10 mb-15"> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="d-none d-sm-block md-topic-tools qa-action-buttons mb-15" data-topic-id="236692"> <button class="js-tooltip btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border pr-10 border-2" > <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 my-n5 mr-5" data-icon="more_vert"></em> More Actions </button> <div class="md-more-popover popover popover-sm p-0 font-14 z-1"> <div> <a class="js-modal btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" href="/print/article/236692" target="_blank" > <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="print"></em> Print </a> </div> <div> <button class="js-modal qa-cite-modal-button btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold 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They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2024-11-09T00:00:00CST" >Nov 9, 2024</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Godavari-River/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex 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stay away from sand collection in Godavari river in A.P.</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 9, 2024, 12:37 AM ET (The Hindu) <button class="btn btn-link d-inline p-0 font-12 js-toggle-recent-news"> <span class="text-gray-500">...</span><span>(Show more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/nearly-50-migratory-bird-species-arrive-at-godavari-estuary/article68819737.ece" rel="nofollow">Nearly 50 migratory bird species arrive at Godavari estuary</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 2, 2024, 3:33 AM ET (The Hindu) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/bjp-questions-govt-plan-to-divert-godavari-water-from-mallannasagar-to-musi/article68814706.ece" rel="nofollow">BJP questions govt. plan to divert Godavari water from Mallannasagar to Musi</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Oct. 30, 2024, 4:50 AM ET (The Hindu) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/floating-restaurant-inaugurated-on-river-godavari-in-rajamahendravaram/article68803266.ece" rel="nofollow">Floating restaurant inaugurated on river Godavari in Rajamahendravaram</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Oct. 28, 2024, 2:50 AM ET (The Hindu) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/sand-reaches-will-be-open-within-a-week-along-banks-of-river-godavari-says-water-resources-minister/article68796067.ece" rel="nofollow">Sand reaches will be open within a week along banks of river Godavari, says Water Resources Minister</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Oct. 25, 2024, 8:43 AM ET (The Hindu) </span> </div> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><!--[BEFORE-ARTICLE]--><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><!--[PREMOD1]--><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies multiple medialist slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100" data-type="other"><div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex"><div class="rw-track d-flex align-items-center"><div class="position-relative rw-slide col-100 px-20 "><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="198599" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/99/176799-050-23379C61/Godavari-River-india-locator-map.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/236692/198599"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/99/176799-050-23379C61/Godavari-River-india-locator-map.jpg"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/99/176799-050-23379C61/Godavari-River-india-locator-map.jpg?w=300" alt="Godavari River" data-width="2000" data-height="1333" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/99/176799-050-23379C61/Godavari-River-india-locator-map.jpg" data-href="/media/1/236692/198599">Godavari River</a><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><button disabled="true" class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span></button><button disabled="true" class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-lg btn-blue-dark m-20"><span class="material-icons" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span></button></div><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref213805"></span>Godavari River</strong>, sacred <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/river" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">river</a> of central and southeastern <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/India" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">India</a>. One of the longest rivers in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/India" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">India</a>, its total length is about 910 miles (1,465 km), and it has a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/drainage-basin" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">drainage basin</a> of some 121,000 square miles (313,000 square km).</p><!--[MOD1]--><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><!--[PREMOD2]--><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The Godavari River rises in northwestern <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Maharashtra" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Maharashtra</a> state in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Western-Ghats" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Western Ghats</a> range, only about 50 miles (80 km) from the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Arabian-Sea" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Arabian Sea</a>, and flows for most of its course generally eastward across the broad plateau of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Deccan" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Deccan</a> (peninsular India). After <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="traversing" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/traversing" data-type="MW">traversing</a> central Maharashtra it enters northern <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Telengana" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Telangana</a> state northwest of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Nizamabad" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Nizamabad</a> and continues through a broad valley and forms a short stretch of Telangana’s northeastern border with Maharashtra. The river then turns southeastward for the last 200 miles (320 km) of its course, flowing through a gap in the Eastern Ghats ranges and then across <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Andhra-Pradesh" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Andhra Pradesh</a> state before reaching the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Bay-of-Bengal" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Bay of Bengal</a>. There it empties via its two mouths: the Gautami Godavari to the north and the Vasishta Godavari to the south.</p><!--[MOD2]--><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span><!--[PREMOD3]--><span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="145331" data-asm-type="image"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/02/142602-050-448C18B6/railway-bridge-Godavari-River-India-Andhra-Pradesh-1997.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/236692/145331"><picture><source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/02/142602-050-448C18B6/railway-bridge-Godavari-River-India-Andhra-Pradesh-1997.jpg?w=300"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/02/142602-050-448C18B6/railway-bridge-Godavari-River-India-Andhra-Pradesh-1997.jpg?w=300" alt="Rajahmundry: railway bridges over the Godavari River" data-width="1600" data-height="953" loading="eager"></picture><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/02/142602-050-448C18B6/railway-bridge-Godavari-River-India-Andhra-Pradesh-1997.jpg" data-href="/media/1/236692/145331">Rajahmundry: railway bridges over the Godavari River </a><span>Original railway bridge (opened 1900) over the Godavari River at Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh, India. The arched bridge behind it replaced the older structure in 1997.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph">From its source to the Eastern Ghats, the Godavari River flows through gentle, somewhat monotonous terrain, along the way receiving the Darna, Purna, Manjra, Pranhita, and Indravati rivers. Upon entering the Eastern Ghats region, however, the river flows between steep and precipitous banks, its width contracting until it flows through a deep <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="cleft" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cleft" data-type="MW">cleft</a> only 600 feet (180 metres) wide, known as the Gorge. On either side wooded hills rise almost vertically from the waters. Having passed through the Eastern Ghats, the river widens again, traversing wide lowland plains, the low islands in its stream being used to grow a variety of crops, notably tobacco. At that point the Godavari flows placidly. Just below the city of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Rajahmundry" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Rajahmundry</a> in Andhra Pradesh, a dam was constructed on the river in the mid-19th century by the British engineer <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Arthur-Thomas-Cotton" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Sir Arthur Thomas Cotton</a>, the first major irrigation project on the Godavari. Since Indian independence from Britain in 1947, some newer projects have been completed to provide irrigation and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/hydroelectric-power" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">hydroelectric power</a>, including the Jayakwadi <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="Dam" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/Dam" data-type="EB">Dam</a> in west-central Maharashtra, and other projects have been planned.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/water-and-its-varying-forms" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/02/157502-131-7C5D3A67/water-glass-background.jpg" alt="water glass on white background. (drink; clear; clean water; liquid)" class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-green">Britannica Quiz</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">Water and its Varying Forms</div> </div> </a><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><!--[MOD3]--><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span><!--[PREMOD4]--><span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The upper reaches of the Godavari are dry in winter and spring, making it virtually useless for irrigation. At its mouths, however, the development of a navigable irrigation-canal system, linking its <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/delta-river-system-component" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">delta</a> with that of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Krishna-River" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Krishna River</a> to the southwest, has made the land one of the richest rice-growing areas of India. The Godavari, throughout its entire length, is sacred to the Hindus.</p><!--[MOD4]--><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="md-signature"><a href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</a></span><span class="md-signature">This article was most recently revised and updated by <a href="/editor/Adam-Zeidan/12409087">Adam Zeidan</a>.</span><!--[END-OF-CONTENT]--><span class="marker end-of-content"></span><!--[AFTER-ARTICLE]--><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article></div> </div></div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script> <!-- Ortto ebmwprod capture code --> <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":1,"pageId":236692,"pageLength":408,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.130.14"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.130.14' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"A","adLeg":"A","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"MEDIUM","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":false} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>