India possesses a rich geological heritage that reflects billions of years of Earth’s evolution. From ancient rock formations and fossil remains to volcanic landscapes and meteorite impact craters, the country is home to several unique geological features that provide valuable insights into the planet’s past. To protect these natural treasures, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has identified and designated a number of Geological Heritage Sites across the country.
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What are Geological Heritage Sites?
GSI is a scientific agency that was founded in 1851 to find coal deposits for the Railways. The GSI is headquartered in Kolkata, and is an attached office to the Ministry of Mines. Its main functions include creating and updating national geoscientific information, and assessing mineral resources.
Geological Heritage Sites are locations that possess exceptional geological significance due to their unique rock formations, fossils, minerals, landforms, or geological structures. These sites represent important stages in the Earth’s history and provide evidence of geological events that occurred millions or even billions of years ago.
The Geological Survey of India recognizes and conserves these sites because of their scientific, educational, cultural, and aesthetic value. They act as geological archives, preserving records of Earth’s evolution for future generations.
Geological Heritage Sites List
| State | Geological Heritage Site / National Geological Monument |
| Andhra Pradesh |
• Volcanogenic Bedded Barytes, Mangampeta, Cuddapah District • Eparchaean Unconformity, Chittoor District • Natural Geological Arch, Tirumala Hills, Chittoor District • Erra Matti Dibbalu – dissected and stabilized coastal red sediment mounds located between Visakhapatnam and Bhimunipatnam |
| Kerala | • Laterite near Angadipuram PWD Rest House Premises, Malappuram District
• Varkala Cliff Section, Thiruvananthapuram District |
| Tamil Nadu | • Fossil Wood near Tiruvakkarai, South Arcot District
• National Fossil Wood Park, Sattanur, Tiruchirappalli District • Charnockite, St. Thomas Mount, Chennai (Madras) • Badlands of Karai Formation with Cretaceous Fossils along Karai–Kulakkalnattam Section, Perambalur District |
| Maharashtra | • Lonar Lake, Buldhana District
Gujarat • Sedimentary Structures (Eddy Markings), Kadana Dam, Panchmahal District |
| Rajasthan | • Sendra Granite, Pali District
• Barr Conglomerate, Pali District • Stromatolite Fossil Park, Jhamarkotra Rock Phosphate Deposit, Udaipur District • Gossan in Rajpura–Dariba Mineralised Belt, Udaipur District • Stromatolite Park near Bhojunda, Chittorgarh District • Akal Fossil Wood Park, Jaisalmer District • Kishangarh Nepheline Syenite, Ajmer District • Welded Tuff, Jodhpur District • Jodhpur Group–Malani Igneous Suite Contact, Jodhpur District • Great Boundary Fault at Satur, Bundi District |
| Karnataka | • Columnar Lava, St. Mary’s Island, Udupi District
• Pillow Lavas near Mardihalli, Chitradurga District • Peninsular Gneiss, Lalbagh, Bengaluru • Pyroclastics & Pillow Lavas, Kolar Gold Fields, Kolar District |
| Chhattisgarh | • Lower Permian Marine Bed at Manendragarh, Surguja District
Himachal Pradesh • Siwalik Fossil Park, Saketi, Sirmaur District Odisha • Pillow Lava in Iron Ore Belt at Nomira, Keonjhar District |
| Jharkhand | Plant Fossil-Bearing Inter-trappean Beds of Rajmahal Formation, Upper Gondwana Sequence around Mandro, Sahibganj District |
| Nagaland | Naga Hill Ophiolite Site near Pungro |
| Sikkim | • Stromatolite-Bearing Dolomite/Limestone of Buxa Formation at Mamley, near Namchi, South District |
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