Villagers in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, residents had been worshipping stone balls they discovered as “Kuldevtas,” only to later discover that these were fossilised dinosaur eggs.
According to local beliefs, the villagers in Padalya, Dhar, regarded these stones, found during farming, as sacred entities named “Kakad Bhairav” or Bhilat Baba, a report by New Delhi Television (NDTV) said.
It was believed that these “Kuldevtas” would safeguard their farmland and livestock from adversities and misfortunes.
Vesta Mandaloi, a resident of Padalya village, said, “We used to offer coconuts to Bhilat Baba and performed the puja. Villagers also used to offer goats during rain.”
However, upon examination by a team of experts, it was revealed that the stones were actually million-year-old dinosaur eggs.
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) AS Solanki said, a dinosaur park that was established in 2011. “Many times, people in the villages around there find such fossils and start worshipping them.”
In the Dhar district’s Baag area, there exists a centre dedicated to collecting and conserving fossils. Known as the Dinosaur Fossil National Park, it houses a variety of ancient fossils.
More than 250 dinosaur eggs have been discovered in the district so far.
The Narmada Valley in Madhya Pradesh is believed to have been home to a substantial number of dinosaurs.
Scientists estimate that dinosaurs inhabited the Earth around 175 million years ago, with the majority of species becoming extinct roughly 65 million years ago.