Tunga River
Encyclopedia
The Tunga River is a river
in Karnataka
state, southern India
. The river is born in the Western Ghats
on a hill known as Varaha Parvata at a place called Gangamoola
. From here, the river flows through two districts in Karnataka
- Chikmagalur District
and Shimoga District
. It is 147 km long and merges with the Bhadra River
at Koodli
, a small town near Shimoga City, Karnataka. The river is given the compound name Tungabhadra from this point on. The Tungabhadra flows eastwards and merges with the Krishna River
in Andhra Pradesh
.
The river is famous for the sweetness of its water. There is a belief that " Thunga pana Ganga snana" which means we should drink the water of river thunga and take bath in river Ganga.
It has a dam
built across it at Gajanur
, and a larger dam has been built across the compound Tungabhadra river
at Hospet
.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
state, southern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The river is born in the Western Ghats
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
on a hill known as Varaha Parvata at a place called Gangamoola
Gangamoola
Gangamoola is a hill in the Chikkamagaluru district of the state of Karnataka, India. Also known as Varaha Parvata, it is one among the hills in the Western Ghats range and is known for being the source of three rivers, Tunga, Bhadra and Netravathi....
. From here, the river flows through two districts in Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
- Chikmagalur District
Chikmagalur District
Chikkamagaluru is a district in the Indian state of Karnataka. Chikkamagaluru is where coffee was first cultivated in India. The mountains here which are a part of the Western Ghats are the source of rivers like Tunga and Bhadra. Chikkamagaluru district also contains Mullayanagiri; which is the...
and Shimoga District
Shimoga District
Shimoga District is a district in the Karnataka state of India. A major part of Shimoga District lies in the Malnad region of the Western Ghats, a hilly area known for its green forests, plentiful rainfall, and as the source of many of the area's rivers. Shimoga City is the administrative centre...
. It is 147 km long and merges with the Bhadra River
Bhadra River
The Bhadra River is a river in Karnataka state in southern India.The Bhadra originates at Gangamoola near Kudremukha, Western Ghats range, and flows east across the southern part of Deccan Plateau, joined by its tributaries the Somavahini near Hebbe, Thadabehalla, and Odirayanahalla. It flows...
at Koodli
Koodli
Koodli is a small town in Shimoga District, in the Indian state of Karnataka.Koodli is the place where two rivers, the Tunga River and Bhadra River, meet to give rise to the Tungabhadra River.- Significance :...
, a small town near Shimoga City, Karnataka. The river is given the compound name Tungabhadra from this point on. The Tungabhadra flows eastwards and merges with the Krishna River
Krishna River
The Krishna River , is one of the longest rivers in central-southern India, about . It is also referred to as Krishnaveni in its original nomenclature...
in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
.
The river is famous for the sweetness of its water. There is a belief that " Thunga pana Ganga snana" which means we should drink the water of river thunga and take bath in river Ganga.
It has a dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
built across it at Gajanur
Gajanur Shimoga
Gajanur is a village 12 km from Shivamogga in the Shimoga district of Karnataka, India. The Tunga River flows through the village. Gajanur is well known for the dam built across the river....
, and a larger dam has been built across the compound Tungabhadra river
Tungabhadra River
The Tungabhadra River is a sacred river in southern India that flows through the state of Karnataka to Andhra Pradesh, where it serves as the chief tributary of the Krishna River...
at Hospet
Hospet
Hospet , is a city in Bellary District in northern Karnataka, India. It is on the Tungabhadra River, 12 km from the World Heritage site consisting of the ruins of the medieval city of Vijayanagara, former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire....
.