National Fossil Wood Park, Tiruvakkarai

The National Fossil Wood Park, Tiruvakkarai is a geological park maintained by the Geological Survey of India. It is located 1 km east of Tiruvakkarai village on the road between Tindivanam and Pondicherry. It is 155 km S.S.W. of Chennai via Tindivanam and a mere 20 km from Pondicherry.

The 20 million year old wood fossils, scattered over 247 acres (1.00 km²), are fenced within nine separate enclaves. Only a small portion is open to the public.

There are 200 fossil trees of various shapes ranging between 3 and 15 metres in length and up to 5 metres in girth. They lie strewn and half-buried in the soil.

Scientists speculate that the trees did not originally grow at that site, but were transported there before they were petrified. Sonneret, a European naturalist, first gave detailed account of the fossils in 1781.

See also

• Mandla Plant Fossils National Park
• Shivalik Fossil Park

Source

• Official Government Website