THE MAHANADI IS MADE UP OF TWO WORDS, 'MAHA' WHICH MEANS GREAT AND 'NADI' MEANS RIVER SYMBOLIZING IT AS A GREAT RIVER LIKE MANY OTHER RIVERS, MAHANADI TOO IS A COMBINATION OF MANY STREAMS AND THUS ITS PRECISE SOURCE IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PINPOINT.THE MAHANADI FOLLOWS A TOTAL COURSE OF 900 KMS AND IS ONE OF THE MOST-ACTIVE SILT-DEPOSITING STEAMS IN THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT. ITS UPPPER COURSE RUNS NORTH BEFORE IT TURNS EAST AND ENTERS ODISHA. THE HIRAKUD DAS AT SAMBALPUR FORMS A MAN-MADE LAKE 55 KM LONG. BELOW THE DAM THE MAHANADI TURNS SOUTH ALONG A TORTUOUS COURSE, PIERCING THE EASTERN GHATS THROUGH A FOREST-CLAD GORGE. BENDING EAST, IT ENTERS THE ODISHA PLAINS NEAR CUTTACK AND ENTERS THE BAY OF BENGAL AT FALSE POINT BY SEVERAL CHANNELS.