Ghughwa National fossils Park is situated 70km from Dindori in village Ghughwa. This National Park has plants in fossil form that existed in India anywhere between 40 million and 150 million years ago. Petrified trunks of trees have been identified as gymnosperms and Angiosperms Monocotyledons and palms. There are certain Bryophytes also. Depending on the age in which the Pangaea split into Laurasia and Gondwana land occurred, the fossils belong to either Jurassic or Cretaceous Age.
6. Ghughua was Discovered by
Dr. Dharmendra Prasad
These fossils were discovered by
Dr. Dhamendra Prasad, the
statistical officer of Mandla
district Archaeology Union
Dr. S. R. Ingle from Birbal Sahni
Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow,
they conducted systematic
study of these fossils.
9. 65 million year ago
Ghughua
About 65 million (6.5 carore) years ago, this
area was covered by forests similar to the
evergreen and semi evergreen forests of
today’s Western Ghats and Northeast India.
The forests were made up of moisture loving
plants. There was a three- tier forest structure
consisting of small trees or shrubs growing
below moderate to large size trees. The middle
level had mostly trees of the Palm group.Ghughua
enjoyed a humid, equatorial climate in ancient
times, with uniform temperatures throughout the
year and an annual rainfall above 2,000 m.m. as
compared to about 1,400 m.m. now. In those
times, it also had a very long rainy season.
Close your eyes for a moment and try to imagine
how this place would have looked in those
ancient times.
10. Fossils of plants of very
ancient times found here
Mohgaon kalan
Samnapur
Mohgaon
Parapani
Ghughua The fossils found here are all
of plants of very ancient
times. Palm fossil are particularly
numerous. Other fossilised plants
ancient forms of banana , rudraksh,
eucalyptus, jackfruit, jamun and
aonla .Their woody parts , leaves ,
flowers ,fruits and seeds are
represented in these fossils.
11. Branch of Arabian Sea “TETHYS”
extended up to current Narmada
Valley
TETHYS
12. Climatic Conditions
A small branch of the
Arabian Sea
Extended into the current
Narmada Valley
In ancient times
land
sea
Current Coastline
13. Remains of animals and plants
get permeated by mineral
particals to form fossils
23. Some modern plants
fossils found here
The fossils found here are all of plants of very ancient times. Palm fossils are particularly
numerous other fossilized plants include ancient forms of Banana, Rudraksh,
Eucalyptus, Jack fruit, jamun, and amla. Their woody parts, leaves,
flowers, fruit and seeds are represented in these fossils.
Banana
Amla
Rudraksh
25. Studies of Fossils was made
by Birbal Sahni Institute
Lucknow
Interestingly, many of these
fossil plants have living
relatives that closely resemble
them. Some of these plants
today occur in the Western
Ghats, Sikkim and Northest
India, while many others are
native to Africa, Madagascar
and Australia. This proves
that at one time in the
distant history of the Earth,
India, Australia and Africa
formed a single huge land
mass called Gondwana that
has several genera in common .
27. When animals or plants dies it is very soon eaten up by animals or it is
decomposed. In rare cases, when death occurs in an environment
that does not facilitate decay, the remains of the animal or
plant get permeated by mineral particles and becomes a fossil.
Usually fossils consist of body parts of animals or plants.
But they could also be preserved marks such as foot prints,
leaf impressions, nests of faces left by organisms when they were alive.
28. Ghughua Fossils
What do these fossils tell us?
These fossils tell us about the plant life that existed in this place millions of
fears ago. The fact that they are so numerous here indicates that dense
forests existed here and in the nearby areas. Then some ancient catastrophe
like a massive volcanic eruption suddenly engulfed and killed off these plants.
The fossils give us important clues to the geography and climate of this place in ancient times.
45. How Fossils are Formed?
Fossils are formed when
parts of dead remains
get replaced molecule for
molecule by inorganic
material like iron pyrite,
silica and calcium carbonate
called Petrifaction.
