Penna River
| Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R) |
Penna River (पेन्ना नदी) is a river of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh in southern India.
Variants
Orign
After originating from Nandi hills, it flows as two different streams, one in North and South directions. The Penna rises in the Nandi Hills in Chikkaballapur District of Karnataka state, and runs north and east through the states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh to empty into Bay of Bengal in Andhra Pradesh. It is 597 kilometres long, with a drainage basin covering 55,213 km2:[1] 6,937 km2 in Karnataka and 48,276 km2 in Andhra Pradesh. Along with this main stream there is another stream south towards Tamilnadu with the name Then Pennai or south Pennar which further moves towards the east to empty into the Bay of Bengal. The Penna river basin lies in the rain shadow region of Eastern Ghats and receives 500 mm average rainfall annually.
Etymology
Since the river flows in two streams, both North and South directions, it forms the shape of bow. Thus this river gets the name of bow called Pinakini named after bow Pinaka. The name of the river Penneru (alternatively Penner) is derived from Telugu words penu పెను meaning grand and yeru ఏఱు / యేఱు meaning river, stream, or a rivulet or else from neeru నీరు water, in flow of course. It is also known as Uttara Pinakini in Karnataka. The name Pinakini refers to Pinaka, the bow of Nandhiswara, the presiding deity of the Nandi hills at the origin of the river.
Course
The Penna river has several sources and mouths. The main stream starts in Nandi Hills in of Karnataka, flowing for 597 km to the north and east through several mountains and plains, draining into the Bay of Bengal in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh. The river is seasonal, its main source of the water being from rains. Therefore, it appears like small stream during periods of drought.
The major tributaries of the Penna are the Jayamangali, Kunderu and Sagileru from the north, and Chitravathi, Papagni and Cheyyeru from the south.[2]
Karnataka: The Penna river rises at 13.25°N 77.41°E at 11 km southwest of Chikkaballapur in Chennakesava Range of Nandi Hills in Karnataka. It begins flowing to the northwest at its source, near the town of Maralur. It flows for 48 km towards the north through the Kolar and Tumkur districts in Karnataka before entering Andhra Pradesh State at Hindupur Sri Sathya Sai district.
Ananatapur: At 69 km, the Penna meets the Kumudavati river. At 82 km, the Penna meets the Jayamangali river near the town of Hindupur in Sri Sathya Sai district. . The Jayamangali river rises in Tumkur district and traverses 77 km in northeast direction before joining the Penna river on the left bank. The Penna flows almost northwards for the next 146 km from the confluence of Jayamangali.
After traversing 67 km in Anantapur district, the Penna reenters Karnataka at Pavagada Taluk in Tumkur district at 115 km from its source. After traversing 13 km in Tumkur district again, it reenters Andhra Pradesh in Kalyandurg Taluk in Anantapur district at 128 km from its source. The Penna turns east at Penna Ahobilam and flows through Marutla and Katrimala forest reserves and near towns like Tadipatri.
Kadapa: The Penna gains the volume but loses stream by the time it crosses Palakondalu and enters Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. It regains the stream in district after meeting many tributaries including Chitravati, Bahuda, Papagni, Kunderu, Sagileru and Cheyyeru and flows near the towns like Kodur, Jammalamadugu, Proddatur, Kamalapuram and Siddhavattam.
The Penna meets its major tributary Chitravati at Gandalur near the Gandikota at 336 km from its source. The Chitravati rises near the Chikballapur town in the Chikballapur district of Karnataka and traverses 218 km in northeast direction in Kolar, Anantapur and Cuddapah districts before joining the Penna on the right bank. The Penna river forces through Gandikota gorge and flows east through a gap in the Eastern Ghats to go to the plains of Coastal Andhra.
The rivers Papagni and Kunderu meets the Penna near Kamalapuram. The Papagni river rises near Sidlaghatta town in Kolar district of Karnataka and traverses 205 km before joining the Penna on the right bank. The Kunderu river rises in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh and travels 205 km before joining the Penna on the left bank.
The Penna river continues in southeastern direction and cuts across the Nallamala hills. The river meets sagileru and turns east. The Sagileru rises in Prakasam district and flows south to meet the Penna. The Penna river meets Cheyyeru at Boyanapalli and Gundlamada near the Sidhout on the right bank. The Cheyyeru river is formed by the confluence of the rivers Bahuda and Puncha that originate in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. The two streams join at Rayavaram and flows towards north for 87 km before joining the Penna.
Nellore: The Penna emerges from Velikonda Range in Eastern Ghats at 467 km from its source and enters the plains under Somasila Dam in the Nellore district. The river flows near the towns like Atmakuru, Kovur, Jonnawada, Sangam and Nellore.
It meets two minor tributaries, the Boggeru and the Biraperu near the Sangam town. The Boggeru rises in Boggu Venkatapuram and joins other minor streams before meeting the Penna river. The Biraperu is a small stream which carries rainfall of the north east portion of Nellore, Udayagiri and Kavali Mandals to the Penna river.
It finally joins the Bay of Bengal at 14.58°N 80.14°E near Utukuru at 597 km from its source.
पेन्ना नदी
पेन्ना नदी, जिसे पेन्नार और उत्तर पिनाकिनी भी कहते हैं, भारत के कर्नाटक और आन्ध्र प्रदेश राज्यों में बहने वाली एक नदी है। यह कर्नाटक के चिक्कबल्लापुर ज़िले में नंदी पहाड़ियों से उत्पन्न होती है और उत्तर व पूर्व दिशाओं में कर्नाटक और आन्ध्र प्रदेश राज्यों से बहकर बंगाल की खाड़ी में विलय हो जाती है। नदी की कुल लम्बाई 597 किमी है और इसका जलसम्भर क्षेत्र 55,213 वर्ग किमी है, जिसमें से 6,937 वर्ग किमी कर्नाटक में और 48,276 वर्ग किमी आन्ध्र प्रदेश में है। पापाग्नि, चित्रावती और चेय्येरु नदियाँ इसकी उपनदियाँ हैं। भारत का ग्रैंड कैनियन गोंडिकोटा इस नदी पर स्थित है ।
External links
References
Back to Rivers