Ujjain, December 19: A group of experts from Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences in Lucknow revealed that some palm-sized “stone balls” found in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh were fossilised eggs of dinosaurs belonging to the Titanosaurus species. Unaware of their true nature, the locals had been worshipping them as “Kakar Bhairav”, their ancestral totem, which they believed would protect their crops and cattle from harm.

As per the Times of India report, a resident of the Padlya Village, 41-year-old Vesta Mandaloi, followed in his forefathers' footsteps, worshipping these balls as "Kakar Bhairav" or lord of the land.  Many other locals worshipped the ‘balls’ found in Dhar and nearby areas. However, when the experts of Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences visited the site, the true nature of these holy totems was revealed. Experts saw the area and realised the balls were fossilised eggs of dinosaurs – the Titanosaurus species, to be precise. Heart Attack Death in Madhya Pradesh: Man Collapses While Having Food at Hotel, Dies; Disturbing Video Surfaces.

Similar fossils were also found in neighbouring districts during an excavation. Earlier this year, palaeontologists discovered 256 eggs and several nests of herbivorous titanosaurs in the Narmada Valley of Madhya Pradesh.

Moreover, researchers from Delhi University and the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research in Mohanpur-Kolkata and Bhopal reported the discovery of ovum-in-ovo or multi-shell eggs in the Bagh and Kukshi regions of Dhar district. Authors such as Harsha Dhiman, Vishal Verma, and Guntupalli Prasad published the findings in the PLoS One research journal. The study of the nests and eggs revealed more information about the long-necked sauropods that lived in the area more than 66 million years ago. Madhya Pradesh: Heads of Religious Places Voluntarily Remove Loudspeakers From Various Places in Ujjain on District Administration’s Call (Watch Videos).

Verma, one of the researchers, said that the eggs were found in the estuary where the Tethys Sea met the Narmada when Seychelles separated from the Indian plate. This caused the Tethys Sea to intrude 400 km into the Narmada Valley. The researchers claimed that this was the first time a multi-shell egg of a reptile was found in the world. They said this discovery could show the similarities between birds and reptiles and how they nested.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 19, 2023 06:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).