CPREEC - EIACP Programme Centre, Resource Partner on Ecological Heritage and Sacred Sites of India

Place of Origin

Shayadri range (Mahabaleshwar), Maharashtra

Length

Confluence

Religious significance

The Krishna River is held in reverence by all Hindus and a ritual dip in the river is believed to purify the mortals. The river is personified as the Goddess Krishnaveni mata.

Many pilgrim centres including the Mallikarjuna temple (Srisailam), Amareshwara swamy temple (Amaravati) and the Durga-Malleshwara temple (Vijayawada) flourish along the course of the river. These centres attract thousands of devotees. The Krishna Pushkaram fair is held on the banks of the river once in twelve years.

Ecological significance 

The estuaries formed by the Krishna River form an important eco-region with unique flora and fauna. The only surviving mangrove forests in the estuary have been declared as the Krishna wildlife sanctuary. The protected fauna in this sanctuary include fishing cat, otter, estuarine crocodile and a variety of resident and migratory birds.