Meghalaya- The Land of Dinosaurs
Meghalaya- The Land of Dinosaurs
Sixty five million years ago, the southern hills and cliffs of the Khasi Hills rose in some places from the green plains below at a sheer steep perpendicular of ninety degrees comprising deep gorges from 30 metres above mean sea level to 1964 metres, the highest being Shillong Peak. Places between the contours of 1250 metres and 1380 metres receive the highest rainfall in the world, that is places between Sohra and Pynursla, along a zone of 30 kilometres stretch and 3 kilometres wide. At one point of time, this zone was under the ocean and this has been proven through the discovery of fossilized shark bones from a pre – historic era.
The findings of the Geological Survey of India (GSI) paleontologists include the findings of fossilized bone fragments of dinosaurs belonging to the Jurassic age millions of years ago, especially in the Khasi states areas of Hima Mawsynram, Langrin, Bhowal, Malaisohmat, Dwar Nongtyrnem – in places like Ranikor, Mawlyngbna and other places bordering present day Bangladesh.
This area, though it is not very vast, deserves to be recognized as one of the wonders of the world having thick tropical vegetation and reserves of limestone and uranium. Though the soil condition is rocky, the people residing here are hard working in orchards growing the famous Khasi mandarin orange, bay leaves, wild black pepper, papaya, jack fruit, betel nut, pan leaves and rubber trees. The people in Syntein village near Mawsynram are adept in cane and bamboo handicraft and their products are also exported to foreign countries such as France.
This is a country where, once upon a time, giant dinosaurs stalked the land and was used as a corridor in their journey to south eastern Asia and the Indian sub – continent at a time when border problems and restrictions were non – existent.
The GSI headquarter in Shillong, in its probe into the ancient past, had unearthed a fossilized dinosaur bone as large as 80 centimetres. The existence of similar dinosaur bones from what is called the Cretaceous age in areas of South East Asia such as Malaysia and Thailand as the ones found in the Khasi Hills should establish a link of the movement of these giant historic creatures. These dinosaurs are believed to belong to the herbivorous family and the excavations that have been going on in Dirang and Ranikor areas are a part of the hunt to discover dinosaur eggs. More and more fossils have been discovered, including the shoulder plate, rib bones, hind legs and other parts of the skeletal remains. Interestingly, these bones have taken on a purple colour after being buried in the sand stone for thousands of years.
A puzzle however remains as to where and why these great animals just disappeared from the face of the earth. Was it because of a natural calamity like a great earthquake, as this part of the world falls with a highly seismic zone extending from the Hindu Kush region in North West India to the Arakan Yoma in the East? Historical records indicate that major earthquakes had hit the northeastern region in 1663, 1845, 1852 and 1875. One of the biggest earthquakes to hit the Khasi Hills region was on the 12th of June 1897 which measured 8.7 on the Richter Scale causing widespread damage and a heavy loss of life and property besides changing the topography of the land.
The million dollar question now is – Was there a devastating earthquake which could have wiped out the great dinosaurs? There has not been any answer yet to this million dollar question. However, there is very strong suspicion by expert paleontologists that the extinction of not only hundreds but thousands of dinosaurs which stalked the Ri Hynniewtrep was caused by radiation from the controversial mineral uranium of which there are substantial reserves in the Hima Langrin and Hima Maharam areas of the Khasi Hills. In the words of a leading paleontologists of GSI Shillong, “Traces of uranium had been found in the bones recovered from Ranikor which could be the reason for their extinction.”
The Khasis call the dragon ‘U Ekjakor’ or ‘Yakjakor’ and a large fish such as a shark ‘Kha Lad Bah’. Not only the fossils of dinosaur bones have been found but also fossilized shark and whale bones have been found by the GSI in places such as Pynursla which is about 50 kms from Shillong. These bones have been dated by the GSI as being about 38 million years old and belonging to the Eocene age. This has proved that soon after the dinosaurs disappeared from this part of the world, the ocean had crept in, covering most parts of the southern Khasi Hills. A fossilized shark tooth found at Pynursla is known as carcharias, belonging to the isurus species. The tooth measures about a centimeter and is yellowish brown in colour.
Judging by the age of the fossilized tooth, it has been estimated that this land area was under the ocean some 35 million years ago. Apart from the fossilized shark bones, other fossils of different sea animals have also been discovered. These include fossilized mollusks, branchipods, cephalopods, crabs and many others. These were also found in the Mawsynram region of the Khasi Hills. It was thus concluded that if sharks inhabited the area, some other big fish species also thrived in the area in that period of time and the discovery of a fossilized whale bone in Jaintia Hills further strengthens this theory.
Mawlyngbna village which lies 75 kms away from Shillong and just 20 kms away from Bangladesh is known for its cleanliness as is its counterpart Mawlynnong village near Pynursla which is the cleanest village in the country and a tourist attraction. People of Mawlyngbna village have been stumped by the discovery of fossilized dinosaur bones and also sea animals. A point to take note of here however is that the Dorbar Shnong or village council has started the process of collection of these fossils including sea urchins and have decided to preserve these as the property of the community. The eagerness of the people to preserve and protect this natural wealth along with the environment should set an example to other villages and should also prompt the government to work with other authorities such as the GSI in setting up fossil parks in selected areas so that these pre – historic remains are not lost to oblivion. The initiative of the people of Mawlyngbna have taken deserves commendation as it is one way of preserving the rich natural heritage of the geographical and geological history
and pre – history of the land.
