The Tungabhadra River (kannada:ತುಂಗಭದ್ರಾ, Telugu:తుంగభద్రా) is a sacred river in southern India that flows through the state of Karnataka to Andhra Pradesh, where it serves as the chief tributary of the Krishna River. In the epic Ramayana, the Tungabhadra river was known by the name of Pampa.

The Tungabhadra River is formed by the confluence of two rivers, the Tunga River and the Bhadra River, which flow down the eastern slope of the Western Ghats in the state of Karnataka. Along with Nethravathi (west flowing river, joining the Arabian Sea near Mangalore), the Thunga and the Bhadra rise at Gangamoola, in Varaha Parvatha in the Western Ghats forming parts of the Kuduremukh Iron Ore Project, at an elevation of 1198 metres. Bhadra river flows through the Industrial City Bhadravathi 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 (91 mi) and 171 km (106 mi) respectively, till they join at Kudali, at an elevation of about 610 metres near Holehonnur, about 15 km (9.3 mi) 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 distance of 531 km (330 mi) and mingles with the Krishna at Gondimalla, near the famous Alampur in Mahaboobnagar District of Andhra Pradesh. Varada flowing through Shimoga, Uttara Kannada and Haveri Districts and Hagari in Chitradurga and Bellary Districts in Karnataka and Handri in Kurnool distriict of A.P. are the main tributaries of the Tungabhadra. Many rivulets and streams join these tributaries.