Traditional stone, worshipped as huardian, identified as fossilized egg of Titanosaur in Central India
In a surprising discovery, a stone traditionally worshipped by farmers in Padlya village, Madhya Pradesh, India, has been identified as the fossilized egg of a titanosaur, one of the largest dinosaurs. Farmers have worshipped these roughly palm-sized stones, known as Kankar Bhairav or stone Shiva, for generations, considering them guardians of the land and livestock. Scientists from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Paleosciences found that the stone is, in fact, a dinosaur egg.
The findings are part of the ongoing discoveries in the Narmada valley, which has yielded a treasure trove of fossil-rich rocks. The region, stretching from Madhya Pradesh to Gujarat, holds remnants of dinosaurs that lived around 65 million years ago. The stones have been preserved over time due to the care and worship bestowed on them by local tribal communities.
The stone, worshipped as Kankar Bhairava, is not part of traditional Hindu worship practices but is revered as a protective deity. Once a year, villagers make farm animals walk over the stones for protection. The recent discovery adds to the knowledge of dinosaur breeding habits, with the identification of multishell eggs indicating similarities to modern-day birds.
Amateur paleontologist Vishal Verma, who has been actively involved in fossil hunting and conservation, highlights the need to showcase ancient traditions alongside the geological park being planned by the Madhya Pradesh government’s Ecotourism Department. The park aims to include the discovered egg clusters and educate visitors about the local customs that contributed to the preservation of dinosaur eggs.