Originating in the
Western Ghats, Tunga River flows through
Dakshina Kannada,
Udupi,
Chikmagalur and
Shimoga districts in
Karnataka. It is believed that Tunga originated when
Varaha, an incarnation of
Lord Vishnu, pierced the earth with his tusk.
The birthplace of Tunga is called the Ganga Moola, a cave inside the Varaha Parvatha (mountain). With a length of about 147 km, it combines with the Bhadra River to form the Tungabhadra River. On the banks of the river, in Sringeri, lies the famous Shri Sharadha Madira. Gajanur (Tunga) is an s-shaped dam constructed over the river.
