Rxsolution at 17:04, 30 September 2025

2025-09-30T17:04:45Z

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{{Short description|River in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox river
| name = Hiranyakeshi River
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| image = Hiranyakeshi river.JPG
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| image_caption = Rapid currents of the Hiranyakeshi river
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| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = [[India]]
| subdivision_type2 = State
| subdivision_name2 = [[Maharashtra]], [[Karnataka]]
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| source1 = [[Chaukul]]
| source1_location = [[Maharashtra]], India
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| mouth = [[Ghataprabha River]]
| mouth_location = [[Karnataka]], [[India]]
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The '''Hiranyakeshi river''' is a left-bank tributary of the [[Ghataprabha River]] originating in the [[Western Ghats]] in the [[Sindhudurg]] district of [[Maharashtra]].<ref name="D'Souza2006">{{cite book|author=Radha D'Souza|title=Interstate Disputes Over Krishna Waters: Law, Science and Imperialism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q25G_UPrJ4EC&pg=PA242|date=1 January 2006|publisher=Orient Blackswan|isbn=978-81-250-2910-6|page=242}}</ref>

== Etymology ==
The river derives its name from the Sri Hiranyakeshi temple. The temple is built over caves from where the river originates as a fresh mountain stream.<ref>[http://www.nativeplanet.com/amboli/attractions/hiranya-keshi-temple/ Hiranya Keshi Temple, Amboli]</ref><ref name="Publishing2008">{{cite book|author=Outlook Publishing|title=Outlook Traveller|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_iTEEAAAAMBAJ|date=October 2008|publisher=Outlook Publishing|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_iTEEAAAAMBAJ/page/n34 64]}}</ref> Hiranyakeshi is a [[Sanskrit]] word which means "one with golden hair"<ref>Roshni Udyavar: [http://www.enviro-arch.com/article_hiranyakeshi.html Hiranyakeshi – The Spring of Life.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222112/http://www.enviro-arch.com/article_hiranyakeshi.html |date=3 March 2016 }}</ref> and refers to the Hindu goddess [[Parvati]].{{Citation needed|date=September 2025}}

== Course ==
[[File:Amboli1.jpg|thumb|Sri Hiranyakeshi temple]]
The river begins in the caves in Hiranyakeshwar temple near the hill station of [[Amboli hill station|Amboli]]. It flows northwest towards Jakatwadi, a small village next to Amboli, where it turns right almost at a right angle and begins to flow east. It flows underneath a bridge supporting state highway 121, which the British named ''Victoria Jubilee Bridge''<ref name="Gunaji2010">{{cite book|author=Milind Gunaji|title=Mystical, Magical Maharashtra|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5xefEXhvG8EC&pg=PA79|year=2010|publisher=Popular Prakashan|isbn=978-81-7991-445-8|page=79}}</ref> and goes northeast to the town of [[Ajra]] in the [[Kolhapur]] district of [[Maharashtra]].

2 km before it reaches Ajra, the river plunges over a rocky ledge about 5 metres high forming the Ramteerth falls and then crosses under another bridge. It continues its run now along the right side of SH 134 crossing over into the [[Belgaum]] district, [[Karnataka]]. At the town of [[Sankeshwar, Karnataka|Sankeshwar]] it goes southeast for a short distance before it converges with [[Ghataprabha]] river after Hidkal dam and before Gokak falls.
[[File:Ramteerth falls.jpg|thumb|right|Ramteerth falls at Ajra]]

== Irrigation ==
Two barriers constructed over the river, known as the Dabhil [[weir]] and the Devarde weir, provide irrigation water to the neighbouring villages.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://india-wris.nrsc.gov.in/wrpinfo/index.php?title=BWA_in_Krishna_Basin |title=Water Resources Information System of India: BWA in Krishna Basin |access-date=2014-07-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140725132342/http://india-wris.nrsc.gov.in/wrpinfo/index.php?title=BWA_in_Krishna_Basin |archive-date=2014-07-25 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Ecology ==
[[File:Malabar Melastome.JPG|thumb|left|''Malabar melastome'' grows along the banks of the river.]]
The area around the river's origin being a sacred groove is protected by the locals.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}} During the monsoon months, fresh rain water transforms the landscape into a lush green oasis with different types of mushrooms which sprout out along its banks.{{citation needed|date=February 2019}} There are also a variety of plants like ''[[Strobilanthes callosa|karvi]]'' and ''[[melastoma malabathricum|malabar melastome]]''.{{citation needed|date=November 2022}}

==Water pollution status==
Physico-chemical analysis showed that the water of the Hiranyakeshi River was in 2010 mostly within the limits of WHO standards with the exemption of samples taken at [[Chicalgud]] because of the addition of domestic sewage and sugar mill effluents.{{citation needed|date=February 2022}}

== Places of interest ==
* Hiranyakeshwar temple
* Ramteerth temple
* [[Amboli, Sindhudurg|Amboli hill-station]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Coord|15.954959|74.027239|display=title}}

[[Category:Rivers of Karnataka]]
[[Category:Rivers of Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Geography of Belagavi district]]

Hiranyakeshi river - Revision history

Rxsolution at 17:04, 30 September 2025