Mahanadi

        The Mahanadi is one of the largest Indian peninsular rivers that drains into the Bay of Bengal. The 857 km long river originates in Raipur district of the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and flows through the eastern state of Orissa before meeting the sea. The tidal, estuarine part of the river covers a length of 40 km and a basin area of 9 km2. On the basis of physical characteristics it is classified as partially-mixed coastal plain estuary.

The Mahanadi River commences in southeastern Madhya Pradesh as a small stream draining the eastern part of the Chhattisgarh Plain.  It enters Orissa State below Baloda Bazaar and crosses the eastern Ghats to enter the Plains of Orissa near Cuttack and finally debouch into the Bay of Bengal through a series of channels.  The famous city of Puri is at one of these distributary mouths. 

The Mahanadi River is a river of eastern India. The Mahanadi rises in the Satpura Range of central India, and flows east to the Bay of Bengal. The Mahanadi drains most of the state of Chhattisgarh and much of Orissa. The fertile plains of the Mahanadi valley are home to intensive rice cultivation. The Mahanadi and Brahmani rivers together form a large delta where they meet the Bay of Bengal. Tributaries of the Mahanadi include the Tel, Mand, and Hasdo rivers.