Dhala crater (N25°17’59.7″ and E78°8’3.1″) is a crater formed by an asteroid impact. It is situated near Bhonti village in Pichhore block of Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh state in India. It is the largest crater in India, and between the Mediterranean and Southeast Asia. The diameter of the structure is estimated at 3 km, while other sources estimate its diameter to be 11 km diameter. It is the second such crater found in India, after Lonar lake.
It is 200 km east of the Ramgarh crater, the location of 11th century Bhand Deva Temple which was renovated by INTACH in 2018.
Impact date
It is estimated that the impact occurred between 2.44 and 2.24 Ga. Basement rocks are predominantly composed of granitoids.
Largest in India
This crater on the Bundelkhand craton is the largest crater in India.