}}</ref> [[रामायण]] में तुंगभद्रा को पंपा के नाम जाना जाता था. तुंगभद्रा नदी का जन्म तुंगा एवं भद्रा नदियों के मिलन से हुआ है. ये पश्चिमी घाट के पूर्वा ढाल से होकर बहती है। पश्चिमी घाट के गंगामूला नामक स्थान से(उडुपी के पास) समुद्र तल से कोई ११९८ मीटर की ऊँचाई से तुंग तथा भद्रा नदियों का जन्म होता है. जो शिमोगा के पास जाकर सम्मिलित होती हैं जहाँ से इसे तुंगभद्रा कहते हैं । उत्तर-पूर्व की ओर बहती हुई, आंध्रप्रदेश में महबूब नगर ज़िले में गोंडिमल्ला में जाकर ये कृष्णा नदी से मिल जाती है । इसके किनारों पर कई हिंदू धार्मिक स्थान हैं । आदि शंकराचार्य द्वारा स्थापित शृंगेरी मठ तुंगा नदी के बांई तट पर बना है और इनमें सबसे अधिक प्रसिद्ध है । चौदहवीं सदी में स्थापित दक्कनी विजयनगर साम्राज्य की राजधानी रही हंपी भी इसी के किनारे स्थित है । <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tbboard.org/ |title=Tungabhadra Board |publisher=|accessdate=2006-09-20}}</ref>
|url=http://www.tbboard.org/ Along with Nethravathi(west flowing river,joinign the Arabian Sea near Mangalore), the Thunga and the Bhadra rie at Gangamoola, in Varaha Parvatha in the Western Ghats forming parts of the world famous Kuduremukh Iron Ore Project, at an elavation of 1198 Mtrs. More than one hundred, tributaries, streams, creeks, rivulets and the like contribute to each of these two rivers. The journey of Thunga and the Bhadra is 147 km and 171 km respectively, till they join at Kudali, at an elevation of about 610 mtrs near Holehonnur, about 15 K.Ms from Shimoga; areca granary of the country. It is a confluence of both the dwaitha and the Adwaitha philosophies. From there, Thungabhadra meanders through the plains to a disitance of 531 km and mingles with the Krishna at Gondimalla, near the famous Alampur in Mahaboobnagar Dist.of Andhra Pradesh. Varada flowing through Shimoga, Uttara Kannada and Haveri Districts and Hagari in Chitradurga and Bellary Districs in Karnataka and Handri in Kurnool distriict of A.p. are the main tributries of the Tungabhadra. Many rivulets and streams join these tributaries.
There are many holy places all along the rivers; primarily Temples of Saiva Cult on the banks of the Bhadra and all the cults on the banks of the Thunga. Sringeri, Sarada Petham established by the Adi Shnkarcaharya is the most famous one on the left bank of the Thunga, about 50 km downstream of its origin. Manthralayam Sree Raghavendra Swamy Muth in Kurnool Disitricit and Alampur in Mahaboobnagar Districit, known as Dakshina Kashi are the other important pilgrimage centres. There is a cluster of Nava Brahma temples constructed by the early Chalukyas. Jogulamba is the presiding diety of the place. Another important feature of the river banks is the flood protection walls all along the rivers, constructed by Sri Krishna Devaraya between 1525 and 1527 AD. You find them wherever there is a possibility of land erosion during the floods. It starts at Sringeri and ends at Kurnool; just few km from its mouth. They are of stone consturctions and are still intact. Huge boulders of the size of 3' X 4' X 5' are also used in its construction.
