I opened the car window to take in the sights and smells, and promptly closed it. I had forgotten that I was in rural India. Weary bullocks hitched to wooden carts plodded alongside us, and those smells I could do without. I was in a four wheel drive aptly named ‘Toofan’, translated as cyclone in the local language. It usually takes one and a half hours to get from Ahmedabad to Balasinor in Gujarat, but the Toofan made short work of it.
The car stormed through a local market, scattering goats and scrawny chickens. We stopped several times to ask for directions to the Nawab’s Palace. I was booked at the Garden Palace Hotel, a heritage property run by the rulers of Balasinor, the Babi family. As the Toofan screeched to a halt in the royal courtyard, four mustached men in uniforms and turbans began to beat and toot animatedly on their musical instruments, to herald my arrival. A woman in a traditional sari gently rubbed a red tikka on my forehead, as another garlanded me. The princess of Balasinor swept out to greet me.
Princess Aaliya Sultana Babi is very jovial, friendly and the most down-to-earth princess I have met (not that I’ve met any others!) Her Brother, Prince Salauddin, was also most gracious and welcoming, and showed me around their homestay hotel.
Now having survived the terrible Toofan, I can disclose the reason for the journey. Nestled in the tiny, nondescript town of Balasinor in Gujarat, is what is known as India’s Jurassic Park. A local village called Raiyoli is home to the one of the largest dinosaur fossils sites in the world!
The Raiyoli site is 20 minutes away from the palace hotel, and Princess Aaliya is the enthusiastic promoter and protector of the dinosaur legacy. Known as ‘the Dinosaur Princess’, she conducts tours to the site, as she is the only English-speaking guide around, who knows all about the history of the fossils.
On our ride to the excavation site (Thankfully, the Toofan had been replaced by a trustier breed), the princess gave me a quick background. The site was discovered accidentally in 1981 when geologists were conducting a mineral survey of the area. Since then, researchers have uncovered fossils of about 1,000 dinosaur eggs, making Raiyoli the third largest hatchery in the world. Paleontologists believe that at least 7 species of dinosaur lived here. They have also discovered a new species, which belonged to the Tyrannosaurus Rex family. It was given the name ‘Rajasaurus Narmandensis’, meaning reptile from the Narmada. The finds have attracted many scientists and tourists around the world, triggering off what the Gujarat state calls ‘Dinosaur Tourism’.
Back at the palace, she let me see her personal collection – pieces of bone fossils and a 65-million year old dinosaur egg fossil, which I held in my hands. It was basically a heavy egg shaped rock, worn in places where you could see the eggshell underneath.
It was quite overwhelming, to hold in my hands a fossil that was 65 million years old, knowing that it was the oldest thing I would ever touch, and trying to imagine the gigantic ferocious creature that would have hatched from it. Having grown up watching Steven Spielberg’s ‘Jurassic Park’ multiple times, this was my own dinosaur moment, something that seemed so alien and incredible that it was hard to believe. A history of evolution within this rock, sitting in the palm of my hand.
Unfortunately, the state of Gujarat has not shown much interest in developing the site as a mega tourist attraction. It has taken 5 years to build a museum next to the site. The site feels abandoned, with only one watchman protecting the site from villagers and grazing cattle. It is a pity to see such neglect, as Gujarat is one of the few states in India that has such a huge wealth of fossilized dinosaur remains. Most Indians do not even know of the existence of the site. The fossils were discovered two decades ago, and have not received their due importance from the state officials.
Raiyoli is a gold mine for those interested in experiencing a slice of history. It is the only site in the world where tourists can actually touch the dinosaur remains, and hold fossils in their hands. From Rajahs to the Rajasaurus, Balasinor is where heritage meets history.
Read more about our travels in Gujarat here.
GETTING THERE: Balasinor is about one and a half hours drive from Ahmedabad. While visiting, tourists can stay in the Garden Palace hotel. The Garden Palace hotel is a heritage property run by the rulers of Balasinor, the Babi family. You can stay with the royal family in their home and experience the warm and personalized hospitality of the Nawab. The palace has 8 elegant guest rooms, each room done up in different colour scheme, furniture and decor. If you feel like roughing it out, you can even stay in the luxury tents on campsite – for a rustic, yet regal experience. Book on their website.
Gypsea Trip 
One thought on “The Lost World : Balasinor, Gujarat”