Which river is often called the 'Dakshin Ganga' (Ganga of the South) or 'Vriddha Ganga'?

The Godavari is the largest river of peninsular India and the second longest river in India after the Ganga. Because of its length, its large basin and its religious importance, it is called the "Dakshin Ganga" (Ganga of the South) or "Vriddha Ganga" (old Ganga).

Course of the Godavari:

• It rises in the Western Ghats in Maharashtra.
• It flows south-east across the Deccan Plateau through Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
• Its length is about 1,465 km.
• Near Rajahmundry (Rajamahendravaram), it divides into branches and forms a large, fertile delta before entering the Bay of Bengal.

Basin:

• The Godavari basin covers about 3.1 lakh square km, about 10 percent of India's area, spread over Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Karnataka.
• It is the largest river basin of peninsular India.

Religious importance:

• The Godavari is considered sacred by Hindus.
• A Kumbh Mela is held on its banks every 12 years.
• The Pushkaram festival is celebrated on its banks every 12 years.

Important places on its banks:

Nanded, Bhadrachalam (famous for its Rama temple) and Rajahmundry.

Projects on the Godavari:

• The Polavaram Project in Andhra Pradesh, a national project, is a major multipurpose dam under construction.
• Its waters are also used for drinking water and irrigation in many districts.

The delta region:

• The Godavari delta is one of the most fertile rice-growing regions of India, often called the "Rice Bowl of Andhra Pradesh" along with the Krishna delta.
• The Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, a large mangrove forest, lies in the delta.

Why not the other options?

• ✗The Kaveri is sometimes called the "Ganga of the South" in Tamil tradition, but the Godavari is the river generally known as Dakshin Ganga and Vriddha Ganga.
• ✗The Krishna and the Mahanadi are other major east-flowing rivers.