65-mn-year-old fossils draw crowds at Mahakal Van Mela

Ujjain: Fossilised dinosaur eggs and a massive thigh bone, believed to be over 65 million years old, have emerged as one of the biggest attractions at Shri Mahakal Van Mela, being held for the first time at Dussehra Maidan.The mela, inaugurated on Feb 11 by chief minister Mohan Yadav, continues until February 16, drawing families, students and curious history enthusiasts to a unique stall set up by the Dinosaur Fossil National Park, Dhar forest division.At the centre of attention are rounded, stone-like dinosaur eggs identified by experts as belonging to the Titanosaurus, dating back to the Maastrichtian age around 65 million years ago. These fossils were discovered in the Bagh and Kukshi regions of Dhar district, where Lameta sandstone formations preserved traces of prehistoric life across vast stretches of south-western Madhya Pradesh.Equally striking is a one-third fragment of a dinosaur's upper thigh bone, estimated to be 89 to 100 million years old from the Turonian to Cenomanian period. Formed within Nimar sandstone, the specimen offers a rare physical link to creatures that once roamed central India when the subcontinent was still part of ancient landmasses.Forest officials say the aim of showcasing these fossils is not only to attract visitors but also to spark curiosity about Madhya Pradesh's rich geological heritage, much of which remains little known outside academic circles.