Godavari River is considered to be a sacred river in India like the Ganges and the Indus Rivers. It is having its origin in the Western Ghats near Trimbak in the district of Nashik in Maharashtra state. It then flows in the east across the Deccan Plateau traversing through the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. It flows in a south-eastern direction in order to evacuate in the Bay of Bengal through two mouths. The major tributaries of the Godavari are Indravati River, Bindusara River, Manjira River and Sabari River. It travels a distance of 1,465 kilometers before it drains into the Bay of Bengal.

Origin of Godavari River
The origin of the Godavari River is at the Trimbak in the district of Nasik in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The river runs almost for a length of 1,465 kilometers and has a total catchment area of 31 mha. The river flows in the eastward direction through the states of Maharashtra and joins the Bay of Bengal in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The main tributaries of the River Godavari are Penganga, Pranahita, Indravati, Manjeera, Sabari and Manair. The River Godavari is India`s second largest river.

History of Godavari River
The history of Godavari River relates to its birth and flow across the plains. This river starts flowing at the Western Ghats and moves in the direction of the Eastern Ghats. The river flows in the southern India and is considered to be one of the seven sacred rivers. This river originates from the hills situated at the rear region of the village Tryanibak, located at Nashik district in Maharashtra. A huge reservoir is positioned at the hill from which the river originates.

Below Rajahmundry in the state of Andhra Pradesh, the river splits into two streams that widen into a large river delta, which provides an extensive navigable irrigation-canal system, the Dowleswaram Barrage which links, the Krishna River delta to the southwest. There is another dam on the Godavari just after the source of the River at Trimbakeshwar. In the Nizamabad district in Andhra Pradesh state, there is a multipurpose project on this sacred river called the Sriramsagar Project. The River Godavari possesses 313,000 square kilometres of drainage area and it spreads over seven states which include Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh. The major towns on the bank of the Godavari are Adilabad, Nanded, Basara, Rajamundry, Trimbakeshwar, Kopargaon, Nashik and Paithan.

Godavari is a sacred river of the Hindus and has several pilgrim spots along its banks. The major ones are Trimbakeshwar, Nasik where one of the four Sinhastha Kumbh Mela is held, Paithan, Nanded, Pattiseema and Basar. After every twelve years, Pushkar Mela, a major bathing festival is held on the banks of the river. An irrigation-canal system which links the delta of Godavari River with the delta of Krishna River in the southwest has made it one of the richest rice-growing regions in India.

The geology of Godavari River suggests soil with rich alluvium deposits. River Godavari is under the serious threat as a result of the growing civilization and industrialization. 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, a tributary of the Godavari. Nakavaggu rivulet is not a source of life in its course.

Religious importance of Godavari River
The religious importance of Godavari River adheres to the existence of several pilgrimages along the river. Apart from Ganga River and Yamuna River, Godavari also holds the exceptional religious importance in India. Godavari is one of the sacred rivers in India. As per Puranas, the River Ganga should be visited by someone after visiting the River Godavari. There are several pilgrimage places on the banks of the river Godavari. The major spot of pilgrimage is Trimbakeshwar temple, the ancient temple of Lord Shiva. Nanded Takht Sri Hazur Sahib is one of the sacred places among the Sikhs, while Bhadrachalam Rama Temple is the temple of Lord Rama and many more. Places of pilgrimage along River Godavari holds a special significance since decades for sages like Baladeva and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The Godavari has been held as a special place of pilgrimage for thousands of years. Many famous personalities like Baladeva (5000 years ago) and more of late Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (500 years ago) took bath in her waters as an act of worship.

The River Basin of Godavari River is one of the most cultivable lands in India. The River basin of Godavari River is mostly rich cultivable land. However, domestic pollution in this basin is the biggest polluter of the River Godavari, accounting for almost 82 per cent of total pollution, while industrial pollution is recorded at about 18 per cent. Ecological significance of River Godavari and it`s including states rank the fifth position in India in the section of bio diversity. India supports about 10 percent of the world`s Biological Diversity, with just 2 percent of the worlds land area, thus making it the seventh richest bio-diversity country in the world. This difference bestows a great responsibility on the government with the responsibility to protect and conserve the rich floral, faunal and ecological diversity of Godavari river basin.

There are several major towns and cities along the River Godavari. River Godavari has been serving as the life giver and sanctifier for most of the towns in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. In the state of Maharashtra, the towns of Trimbakeshwar, Nashik, Kopargaon, Paithan, Mahegaon deshmukh and Nanded are located along the River Godavari. While in the state of Andhra Pradesh, the cities and towns of Basara, Dharmapuri, Kaleshwaram, Mancherial, Godavarikhani, Bhadrachalam, Rajamundry, Kovvur, Tallapudi and Narsapur lie in the banks of River Godavari.

The tributaries of River Godavari are responsible for the supply of water in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh. The Godavari River has ample tributaries and distributaries that flow in the Godavari River Basin. Some of the rivers of this basin are Kolab River, Indravati River, Bandiya River, Pranhita River, Dina River, Wainganga River, Sati River and many more.