A short road trip will take you to the country's first National Fossil Wood Park in Thiruvakkarai, located on the periphery of Auroville and around 25 km from Puducherry. The fossil park, maintained by the Geological Survey of India, is a national geo-heritage monument that was established in 1940. Spread over 247 acre, one can find petrified wood fossils, which are over 20 million years old, throughout the park. Only a square kilometre area in the park is open for public and is home to around 200 fossilised trees. Thiruvakkarai also houses a popular temple of Puducherry and the main deity is in the form of a huge lingam with faces of - Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Mahesh. It is believed that Chandiran (the moon god) also worshipped Lord Shiva here.