Mohansinh Sodha (Fig. 1) is the founder of the Kutch Fossil Park located in Kutch, in the state of Gujarat in India. The park exhibits invertebrates, including ammonites, belemnites, nautilus (Fig. 2), brachiopods, gastropods (Fig. 3), corals (Fig. 4) and echinoderms. Marine fossils, including brachiopods and echinoderms, have been sourced from the rivers of the Kutch region.
Fig. 1. Mohansinh Sodha, with one of his remarkable fossils.
Fig. 2. A beautiful nautilus exhibit.
Fig. 3. Gastropods at the Kutch Fossil Park.
Fig. 4. Corals displayed at the park.
Plant fossils, like Gondwana plant fossils, 136 to 293 million-year-old leaf fossils (Fig. 5) and petrified wood, can also be seen at the park. Vertebrates include sea cows, tortoises (Fig. 6) and crocodiles.
Fig. 5. A 136 to 293 million year old leaf fossil.
Ammonites (Figs. 8 and 9) are known in Gujarati, the chief language of the state of Gujarat, as Gokulgai and, in Hindi language, as Saligram. They are considered a representation of Lord Vishnu. The first ammonoids appeared during the Devonian period.
Fig. 8. Ammonites are known in Gujarati as Gokulgai. Ammonites are considered to be a representation of Lord Vishnu.
Fig. 9. [THERE IS NO WAY THESE ARE AMMONITES – THEY ARE GASTROPODS???]
It took 83-year-old Sodha more than 40 years to collect the fossils. He has travelled over eight hundred thousand kilometres across Kutch to find them.
About ten years ago, he was humbled by the honour he received after he discovered a new vertebrate fossil species in western Kutch, which was named after him. He discovered the fossil in Hirapar Village in Nakhtrana Taluka. Extensive research was carried out by scientists at the Department of Earth Science of the Indian Institute of Technology, in Roorkee, on what turned out to be a fossil of a sea-cow. As it was a new species in India, it was named after Sodha and the sea-cow fossil is now called Dommingia Sodhae (Fig. 10).
Fig. 10. The sea-cow fossil (Dommingia Sodhae).
As he says:
I believe fossils [Figs. 11 and 12] are God’s creation and it is our duty to respect and preserve them. When I started the park, my endeavour was to make it a comprehensive site for fossil lovers. I am happy that visitors get to view a variety of fossils [Figs. 13 and 14] here. My collection is my life and it will be a legacy for coming generations to educate themselves on fossils.”
Fig. 11. Fossil display of quartz and other minerals.
Fig. 12. Fossil exhibit of some extraordinary trace fossils.
Fig. 13. Fossils belonging to Mohansinh Sodha.[THESE LOOK LIKE MINERALS.]
Fig. 14. Kutch Fossil Park exhibit, including of belemnites.
His son, Vikramsinh, currently looks after the fossil park.
The Kutch Fossil Park is open from 9.00am to 6.00pm daily. It is open all days of the week, even on public holidays.
