Jathika Namal Uyana-The Largest Pink Quartz Mountain in South Asia

(Ulpothagama, Madatugama)
Naamal Uyana” is an extremely rare forest replanted with Ironwood Trees (Mesua ferara) in the 8th Century AD by King Dappula. The Ironwood Tree is endemic to Sri Lanka and the replanted forest is over 200 acres in extent. The Namal Uyana holds a rich animal and plant life with over 19 species of birds and rare species of lizards and 76 kinds of medicinal plants.

The Founder

Ven. Rahula built up for himself a little kuti. " I didn't touch a single tree form this forest to build this avasa," he says pointing to the modest structure. He sawed Mango and other kinds of cheap wood which he obtained from outside.

When the adventuring monk with the pioneering spirit first landed here, he was not to know he was stumbling upon an ancient temple site that had once received royal patronage. Some of the remnants like the sandakadapahana definitely belongs to an early Anuradhapura period, he says, pointing to the absence of carvings which one finds in other sandakadapahanas. The other stone slabs and pillars are of a different era, he believes.
The primary goal of Ven. Rahula is to promote this beautiful land as a meditating centre. It’s calm serine beauty makes the NamalUyana the ideal spot. Also the clean clear water of this land could be used to quench the thirst of the people of this land, who currently suffer from a variety of illnesses due to the unclean water. The cutting down of trees has posed another major problem to the environment. Ven rahula plans to introduce alternatives to cremation of bodies using trees to using modern electrical cremating systems. Also to promote the site as a research location has been a longstanding (dream).

Pink Quartz Mountain

Though Namal Uyana, recently declared a National Heritage site, under the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWLC) has become popular among Sri Lankans in recent years, it has a history filled with legend and romance that dates back to the Mogul period. Historical records reveal that Mogul Emperor Shah Jehan built the 'Taj Mahal', his monument to undying love, with the pink quarts mined from this unique mountain range. Research also reveal that the Emperor visited Sri Lanka to check on the quartz personally.

The quartz deposit spreading over 105 hectares is the largest in South Asia and is estimated to be 550 million-years-old. The stones belong to a superior stone category and according to research, the mineral known as silicon dioxide is the main component of the pink quartz. Another archaeological investigation revealed it to contain 250 million-years-old plant fossils