If you’re driving between Pondicherry and Tindivanam, there’s a rather unusual detour worth making. At Tiruvakkarai in Villupuram district, more than 200 fossilised tree trunks lie scattered across a landscape that dates back around 20 million years. This is the Tiruvakkarai Fossil Wood Park, a site where trees from the Mio-Pliocene epoch have been preserved as stone.
The trunks were buried under sediment millions of years ago and, over geological time, their organic material was replaced by minerals, particularly silica. The process preserved the original form and structure of the wood, leaving behind fossilised trunks that can still reveal details of the trees they once were. Some retain features such as annual rings and trunk nodes, offering a remarkably detailed record of their biological structure.
The fossils are associated with the Cuddalore Sandstone Formation and are generally dated to around 20 million years ago, placing them in the Mio-Pliocene period. Geological Survey of India accounts suggest that the trees may have been transported and buried by ancient floods, meaning the trunks may not have grown at the exact locations where their fossilised remains are found today.
The scale of the site adds another dimension to the experience. The fossil-bearing material is distributed across nine enclaves covering around 247 acres, although only a portion of the area is accessible to visitors.
There’s also a little history attached to the fossils. European naturalist M. Sonneret documented the site in 1781, making the fossil wood part of the region’s scientific record for centuries.
What makes the park interesting is how recognisable the fossils remain. These are not abstract geological formations that require an expert eye to identify. The trunks retain the shape and texture of wood, even after millions of years of mineralisation.
Located in Tiruvakkarai in Villupuram district, the park lies on the road between Tindivanam and Pondicherry, making it a worthwhile stop if you’re exploring the region by road.
Email: anoushkakundu@newindianexpress.com
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