Bhima River is one of the major tributaries to Krishna River and is a major river in Western and Southern India. It flows southeast for 861 km and passes through the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Telangana where it joins River Krishna.
The Bhima River banks are fertile and agricultural land which is the reason why many people survive near to the banks. Although the first 65kms of the river path is not suitable for agriculture, it passes through rough terrains of the Western Ghats and narrow valleys.
The river is also referred to as Chandrabhaga River as it resembles the shape of the moon and especially it is visible at Pandharpur.
Bhima River Information
- Name of the river: Bhima
- Location: Maharashtra, Karnataka and Telangana
- Origin: Bhimashankar, Maharashtra
- Length: 861 km
- Elevation: 945 m
The basin size of Bhima River is about 70,614 km² out of which 70% of the basin is located in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The banks of the Bhima river are heavily populated due to the fertile land that the Bhima river has.
The Course of the River
The Bhima River flows southeast on a long journey of 861 km which is accompanied by many smaller tributaries. It originates near Bhimashankar temple in Khed Taluka, Western Ghats, Pune District, Maharashtra and it flows down the Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary and passes down the Khed Taluka which is joined by a tributary called Aria River and flows down Chas Kaman Reservoir and Dam which is one of the most upstream dams for Bhima River.
5 Km down the Chas Kaman Reservoir, another tributary named Kumandala River joins Bhima and it flows downhill for about 8 km and passes beside the town of Rajgurunagar and it flows further km to Siddhegavhan which is the last township of Khed Taluka.
After it leaves Khed Taluka, the Bhima river forms a boundary between the other 2 talukas namely Hawali and Shirur Taluka where it intersects with the Indrayani River. Bhima intersects with the Indrayani River at a town of Tulapur located in Hawali Taluka. 4kms after the confluence, another river named Dhomal River enters Bhima at a town of Wadhu Budruk. 3.5 km from Wadhu Budruk, Bhima passes down a bridge at a town called Koregaon Bhima and turns east for the next 16kms where it is joined by Vel River at the village of Vittalwadi.
After Vittalwadi, the Bhima River flows northwest where it is joined by the Kamania River at the village of Parodi. Later Bhima travels Southeast for 23kms where it confluences with the Mula-Mutha River. 31kms from the confluence, at the village of Nanvij, Ghod River enters Bhima River which is the last western ghats tributary to Bhima River.
Bhima later merges with the Krishna River near to the border of Karnataka and Telangana near to Raichur and later it continues with Krishna River.
Bhima River Tributaries
Bhima is one of the important rivers for agriculture and it has many tributaries which include the Sina River, Nira River, Mula-Mutha River, Ghod River, Indrayani River, Pavana River, Bhama River, Bhogavati River, etc.
Temples and Places
Bhima river path has many temples as it is worshipped for its rich fertile basin it provides and the temples which are on the path of Bhima River includes
- Bhimashankar Temple: One of the esteemed temple and is 1 among the 12 Jyotirlingas in Maharashtra.
- Siddhivinayak Temple in the Indian state of Maharashtra.
- Sri Dattatreya Temple at Gulbarga, Karnataka
- Sri Kshetra Rasangi Balabheemasena Temple, Gulbarga Karnataka
- Sri Kshetra Kolakoor Siddhabasaveshwara Temple, Gulbarga, Karnataka
- Kanaganahalli Buddhist site, Karnataka
Major Dams
The path along which Bhima River flows has 22 dams constructed however, we are naming some of the important dams which are constructed across Bhima River and most of them are present in the Indian State of Maharashtra and they include.
- Chas Kaman Dam
- Ujjaini Dam
- Bhatghar Dam
- Mulshi Dam
- Dhimbe Dam
- Sina Kolegaon
- Walwan
- Kasarasai
- Visapur
Ujjaini Dam is one of the largest dams constructed and can hold a capacity of 118TMC of water.
Bhima River is also used for Hydro-Electric power plants and many power plants are located in the dams constructed. Here are some of the power plants that are used by the Bhima River to generate electricity.
- Bhira Hydroelectric Project which includes waters from Mulshi Dam, Bhushi Dam, Bhira Dam, Walwan Dam, Thokarwadi Dam, and Shirvata Dam.
- Pawana Dam
- Ujjaini Dam
- Dhimbe Dam etc
[ Also Checkout: Major Rivers in Karnataka ]
