Considering that as a collective populace we’re ever immersed in the present happenings and the current on goings around the world, we oftentimes forget to press the pause button and reflect on the times gone past and the life that must have been, many centuries and aeons ago. Of course, we all have seen movies depicting large teethed reptiles roaming around freely chomping down on everything that walked and we’ve all read a bit about civilisations in the days of yore in our school text books, nevertheless most of us leave it at that and think about it no more.

However, if we leave text books and movies aside, there are a number of historical places and relics that are to this day living testimonies of occurrences and happenings of a time long gone and within whose remains we can seek a way of unlocking the secrets of the past.

Holding a key to the past

If you find yourself on the road to Pondicherry and are looking at stopping by someplace for a bit of an enlightening, knowledgeable experience, take the road which falls a stones throw away from the Thiruvakkarai village, just on the road between Tindivanam and Pondicherry.

The Thiruvakkarai hamlet, situated at a distance of roughly 35 kms from Tindivanam, falls en route from Chennai via the Tindivanam-Pondicherry Road or the Madras-Tindivanam -Thiruvakkarai- road. Once here, you can also go via the Mailam Road and pay obeisance at the Vakrakaaliamman temple. Once you’re on the Mailam road the Vakrakaaliamman temple arch will come first and going further down on this road you’ll come to the temple. The Mayilam or Mailam village is also renowned for its Lord Muruga Temple.

The Thiruvakkarai village is however not well known only for its beautiful temples but also for another hidden gem which allows for people to take a peek at fossilised trees belonging to the Mio –Pliocene age.

What’s amazing is that the park we speak of is located at some distance from Chennai but it is quite popular among those who know of it. In fact to get to Thiruvakkarai, one has to take the NH32 and in a matter of travelling approx. 158 kms one can get to this wonder locale.

Plan your journey well

As is known, we prefer to begin our journey from Oragadam in Chennai, as this area presents the unparalleled option of getting to anywhere easily, conveniently and without any transportation hassles whatsoever. For those who are not in the know, Oragadam is known as ‘Chennai’s industrial growth corridor’ and the ‘biggest automobile hub of South Asia’.

Kal Maram- The Stone Trees- A geological wonder

The trees at the National Fossil Wood Park are an eye opener and serve to give an idea about the vegetation that must have existed 20 million years. Unbelievable as it may sound, the park, constituted in 1940, has within its premises fossilised trees hard as rocks, possibly explaining why the locals call them Kal Maram meaning stone trees.

Not a glitzy, upscale modernised park, the approach road takes you through a forested, zigzag road that gives the visitor no inkling of the interesting visual treat that lies ahead. On reaching the park simple boards welcome visitors to take a look at the precious vestiges of different sizes, millions of years old.

Though very expansive and comprising of nine enclaves the nearly 247 acres large park has thrown open a small area for public viewing where one can take a look at the petrified wood fossils that are interspersed in the area. What’s even more interesting is that the park also has ancient burial sites besides which there are explanatory boards with descriptions explaining the circular rings on the trees and the significance of them. What’s more, as Geological Survey of India, under whose maintenance the park is, elucidates that the fossilisation happened due to a heavy deluge aeons ago and later, as silica worked its way into the tree, the trunks hardened and fossilised.