Nepal is an ideal destination for any kind of vacation to go to. Trekking, mountaineering, adventure sports, private leisure tours, and pilgrimage are usual holiday activities. Apart from these normal vacations, the country is equally important for the Fossil Research. Over the years lots of archaeologists, geologists and scientists have conducted numerous “Fossil Research in Nepal”. Especially the presence of mountains and rivers has prompted the country as an ideal destination for such research. Moreover, the country is landlocked but the fossil found in Nepal contains the seashell too. This proves that the Himalayas were once inside the large sea or ocean.
What is Fossil?
Fossils are the traces or the mineralized footprints form of plants, animals, and other organisms. Fossil Record is shown as the presence of the fossiliferous which is also termed fossil-containing rock as well as the sedimentary strata. The study of the fossil is within the science of paleontology and geology. The major scientific reason behind the fossil research is to identify the pre-historic age of the earth itself. Normally these fossils have no minimum age but it is believed that these are several billion or thousands of years old.
It preserves the sections of the dead organism. Normally the mineralized portions of the organism, when it was alive, are imprinted either on sand or rock for example bone, teeth, chitinous exoskeletons etc. Sometimes the footprints or marks of the organisms are only imprinted on the rocks other than the actual body of the organism. These are called the Trace Fossils and the body imprinted is termed body fossils.
Fossils Research Location in Nepal
There are numerous places within Nepal where lots of fossils are found. While doing the “Fossil Research in Nepal” one can have a mesmerizing holiday too. Such is the beauty of Nepal. Tui Khola, Surai Khola, Tinau Khola, Rato Khola, Dudhaura Khola, Kathmandu Valley, Tansen, Limi Valley, Humla, Kaligandaki, Tribenidham and Damodar Kunda are the major places for the research of the fossil in Nepal. In fact, the Nepalese Siwalik region is considered the best place for fossil study.
Hindu Religion and Fossil
The fossil stones also known as the Ammonite are found on the Kaligandaki Riverbank. These fossils are considered sacred and symbolize the Hindu Lord Vishnu. The types of fossils found between Damodar Kunda and Tribeni Dham along the Kaligandaki Riverbank are Garbha, Damodar, Chakrabarti, Chakraraj, Kaal, Billa, Arghabatar etc. However, these stones are on the verge of extinction. Commercialization of such stones in the name of tourism has raised greater concern among Hindu pundits. However, these stones hold a special place among geologists in the study of the rocks. The same fossil found in the Himalayan belts of Nepal proved that once earth had just water.