“Dakshina” means “South”. The Godavari River is known as ‘Dakshina Ganga’ i.e. “River Ganga of South India”.
River Godavari is the largest river of the south India.
It forms the largest river basin in the peninsula, as the Ganga in the north. It is, however, much smaller than the Ganga basin.
Thus for its vast area, great length and the cultural heritage, the Godavari can rightly be compared with the Ganga of the north India. Rajahmundry and Bhadrachalam are the important towns on its bank.