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This article is about the river in central India. For the 1994 Tamil film, see Mahanadi (film).
River Mahanadi (ମହାନଦୀ)
The Mahanadi
Name origin: From Sanskrit "Maha" (great) and "Nadi" (river)
Country India
Parts Chhattisgarh, Odisha
Regions Dandakaranya, Dakshina Kosala Kingdom, Coastal Plains
Betul, Raipur, Janjgir, Bilaspur, Sambalpur, Subarnapur, Boudh, Anugul, Cuttack, Kendrapada
 - left Seonath, Mand, Ib, Hasdeo
 - right Ong, Jonk, Telen
Cities Sambalpur, Cuttack, Sonepur, Birmaharajpur, Subalaya, Kantilo, Boudh
Landmarks Satkosia Gorge, Sonapur Lanka, Hookitola Falls
 - location Sihawa, Dhamtari, Dandakaranya, Chhattisgarh, India
 - elevation 890 m (2,920 ft)
 - coordinates 20°07′N 81°55′E﻿ / ﻿20.11°N 81.91°E﻿ / 20.11; 81.91
 - location False Point, Kendrapada, Delta, Odisha, India
 - elevation 0 m (0 ft)
Length 858 km (533 mi)
Basin 141,600 km2 (54,672 sq mi)
Discharge for False Point, Odisha
 - average 2,119 m3/s (74,832 cu ft/s)
 - max 56,700 m3/s (2,002,342 cu ft/s)

The Mahanadi (English: Great River) (Oriya: ମହାନଦୀ) is a major river in East Central India. It drains an area of around 141,600 square kilometres (54,700 sq mi) and has a total course of 858 kilometres (533 mi).[1] The river flows through the states of Chhattisgarh and Odisha.


Mahanadi is a major river of India
Mahanadi is a major river of India
Mahanadi river
Mahanadi is a major river with its delta on the east coast

Like many other seasonal Indian rivers, the Mahanadi too is a combination of many mountain streams and thus its precise source is impossible to pinpoint. However its farthest headwaters lie 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from Pharsiya village 442 metres (1,450 ft) above sea level south of Nagri town in Dhamtari district of Chhattisgarh.[2][3] The hills here are an extension of the Eastern Ghats and are a source of many other streams which then go on to join the Mahanadi.


Middle course[edit]

After being joined by the Seonath, the river flows in an easterly direction through the remaining part of its journey. It is joined by the Jonk and Hasdeo rivers here before entering into Odisha after covering about half of its total length. Near the city of Sambalpur, it is dammed by the largest earthen dam in the world, the Hirakud Dam. A composite structure of earth, concrete and masonry, the dam measures 24 kilometres (15 mi) including the Dykes. It spans two hills; the Lamdungri on the left and the Chandili Dunguri on the right. It also forms the biggest artificial lake in Asia, with a reservoir holding 743 square kilometres (287 sq mi) at full capacity, with a shoreline of over 640 kilometres (400 mi).[4]

After the formation of Chhattisgarh State, the major portion of Mahanadi basin now lies in Chhattisgarh. Presently, only 154 square kilometres (59 sq mi) basin area of Hasdeo River in Anuppur District lies in Madhya Pradesh.



The Mahanadi River Delta at False Point.



Prior to the construction of the Hirakud Dam, the Mahanadi was navigable from its mouth up to Arrang, about a 150 kilometres (93 mi) from its source. However numerous barrages apart from the Hirakud have put an end to that. Today, boats are restricted to the delta region and the Hirakud reservoir.[6][7]

Trade and agriculture[edit]

Mahanadi River


The cities of Cuttack and Sambalpur were prominent trading places in the ancient world and the river itself has been referred to as the Manada in Ptolemy's works. However today the Mahanadi valley is best known for its fertile soil and flourishing agriculture. Prior to the Hirakud dam, the river carried more silt than any other river in the Indian subcontinent.[8] As a result its delta had one of the highest yield per acre in the whole of India. Today agriculture primarily depends on a network of canals that arise from the river. Rice, oilseeds, and sugarcane are the principal crops here. An equally fertile though smaller valley also exists near Raipurd in the river's early course.


Zobra bridge view



At its peak during the monsoon, the Mahanadi has a discharge rate of 2,000,000 cubic feet (57,000 m3) per second,[2] almost as much as the much larger Ganges. However owing to its seasonal nature the river is mostly a narrow channel flanked by wide sand banks for most of the year.[10]


Mahanadi River near Satkosia Tiger Reserve, Odisha


In 2011, September heavy down pour of rain caused flash flood and many mud dwellings in more than 25 villages above Hirakud Dam which were never got affected before; both in Chhattisgarh and Odisha have melted down due to back water, which could not pass through the river.[11]


Further reading[edit]

  • The Imperial Gazetteer of India-William Hunter, 1901
  • The Encyclopædia Britannica-1911 Ed.
  • The Columbus Encyclopedia

External links[edit]