In a stunning discovery, hundreds of revered stone balls known as “Kuldevtas” or family deities have been found to be fossilized dinosaur eggs, estimated to be around 175 million years old.
The villagers of Padlya in Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh, had long considered these sacred stones, locally known as “Kakad Bhairav”, as protectors of their farms and livestock.
Recent scientific tests have revealed that these revered stones played a significant role in local customs, having been worshipped as family deities for generations. Vishal Verma, a local paleontologist, emphasized the importance of preserving these traditions, underscoring that the area was also once home to a thriving population of dinosaurs in the Mesozoic era.
Dhar district is home to the Dinosaur Fossil National Park, which preserves the fossilized remains of ancient dinosaurs. The discovery of more than 250 fossilized dinosaur eggs in Dhar district suggests that Madhya Pradesh’s Narmada Valley was once teeming with these prehistoric creatures.
Senior forest officials suggest that villagers often stumble upon fossils and start worshipping them, emphasizing the importance of a fossil collection and conservation center in the Baag area of Dhar district, which houses thousands of such specimens.
“The round stones, believed to be family deities, not only represent ancient dinosaur eggs but play a significant role in local worship customs. These stones, often placed under fig trees, have been worshipped for generations. As efforts are underway to transform the area into a zoological park, preserving these traditions becomes integral to the park’s cultural richness,” Verma said.
