Panchaganga is an ancient river and a tributary of Krishna River. It is a holy river which emerges from the Sahyadri mountain ranges of Maharashtra. Panchaganga flows through the borders of Kolhapur.
Origin and Course of Panchaganga River
The river originates from Prayag Sangam. The birthplace of this river is called Chikhlee Taluka, a small village in the district of Kolhapur. The Five Rivers; the Kasari, the Kumbhi, the Tulsi, the Bhogawati and the Saraswati convene at the Prayag Sangam to form Panchaganga. It is the beginning of the Panchaganga river and from there the river flows 30 miles towards the east developing a wide alluvial plain in the north of Kolhapur. The river concludes into the Krishna river at Kurundvad, Maharashtra.
The valley of the Panchaganga River is very fertile and its sloping banks yield rich crops during the winter season. The river is crossed by two beautiful bridges, one near the Brahmapuri hills on the north of Kolhapur and the other a few miles east to the Pune Road. The waters of all the streams which join to form the Panchaganga are much used for growing sugarcane.
Pollution and Control of Panchaganga River
Since the last decade its pollution level is increasing fast. The pollution of Panchaganga River is due to the disposal of untreated municipal sewage from the Kolhapur town. The contaminated river water is being used for drinking and irrigation purpose by the villagers as well as the city people causing health hazards. Since there is no proper drainage system in the city, the river water gets polluted because of the waste materials being dumped into the river from various industries. However MPCB (Maharashtra Pollution Control Board) took several measures to control the damages. Also various projects are being undertaken by the govt. of Maharashtra to look after the severe issue of the Panchaganga river pollution.
Religious significance of Panchaganga River
The confluence of the five river streams is known as the Prayag Sangam. Thus the Panchaganga River has much local sanctity, being like the Allahabad Triveni Sangam. The place is also visited by large number of devotees during the winter.
