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Balasinor Fossil Park, Gujarat – World’s largest Dinosaur Fossil Park

Balasinor in Gujarat has a nesting ground of fossilised dinosaur and a prehistoric burial ground. Not many know about it because only few talk regarding it. Moreover, no one has thought till date that this could be further developed as a tourist site or a UNESCO Geopark.

Balasinor Dinosaur Fossil Park – World’s largest Dinosaur Fossil Park

The Indroda Dinosaur and Fossil Park is in Ahmedabad city and hosts the fossilized remains along with the petrified eggs of the prehistoric dinosaurs. The actual nesting ground and eggs, fossils on display here are sourced from the world’s 3rd largest dinosaur fossil excavation site located at Raiyoli, Balasinor in Gujarat. It is also the 2nd largest hatchery in the world. The Park is the only dinosaur museum in the country and was set up by the Geological Survey of India.

What will you find?

This park is known as India’s Jurassic Park though the fossils are from the later Cretaceous period and not exactly from the Jurassic era. The fossils that were found in Upper Cretaceous formations date back to 66 million years ago. The eggs are of various different sizes and some are also sized like cannon balls. The Fossil trackway of the gargantuan animals are also put on display in the park.

Balasinor Fossil Park, Gujarat - World's largest Dinosaur Fossil Park
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The Dinosaurs that are on display here are Tyrannosaurus rex, Megalosaurus and Titanosaurus to name a few. As a matter of fact, new species belonging to the family of Tyrannosaurus Rex was found in Balasinor and named Rajasaurus narmadensis that means Narmad’s princely reptile. Barapasaurus, Brachiosaurus and Antarctosaurus are amongst the other few species. As per Paleontologists seven species of dinosaurs were known to live here and about 10,000 dinosaur eggs were also found. Stegosaurus and Iguanodon are other species on display. The park also displays actual life-size models of the dinosaurs with the details of every period where they existed along with the characteristics of these animals.

How was it discovered?

Dinosaur Fossil Park Balasinor
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This site was discovered accidentally in the year 1981. It happened when the geologists were conducting a mineral survey of this particular area. Since then, this place is known to attract scientists and tourists globally from around the world. The fossils were discovered in the Songhir Bagh Basin and the Himatnagar basin of Balasinor. Places like the south-eastern parts of Kheda, Panchmahal and Vadodara also contributed to the discovery.

What makes this place unique?

Balasinor Dinosaur Fossil Park
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This place is the only site in all of the world where tourists could both touch the dinosaurs remains and also hold a 65 million year old egg fossil in their hands. Also, thankfully there’s one person who actually sees potential in this place and that is Aaliya Sultana Babi who is the former princess of Balasinor. She is considered as  the promoter and protector of the dinosaur legacy and as a matter of fact she’s often called the Dinosaur Princess. She is known to conduct tours to the site and is the only English speaking guide well versed about these fossils. At Balasinor, you could spot a part of a limb that is embedded in a rock and also an alleged fossil remains of skin along with other rare and unique prehistoric bones and egg rings.

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About Anirudh Singh

Anirudh Singh is a passionate blogger and the man behind Amazing India Blog. He has 5 years of experience in the newspaper industry and he founded Amazing India Blog in 2015. Apart from writing and editing articles on Travel, Business and Technology at Amazing India Blog, he also contributes to other well known newspapers and online news blogs.